Telangana: Delay in compensation stalls Mamnoor airport expansion

Farmers in Warangal are refusing to vacate lands for Mamnoor airport expansion, demanding compensation before surrender. With notices issued to halt cultivation, small and marginal farmers insist on continuing farming until payment is received, potentially delaying the airport project

Warangal: Farmers in Warangal are refusing to vacate lands for Mamnoor airport expansion, demanding compensation before surrender. With notices issued to halt cultivation, small and marginal farmers insist on continuing farming until payment is received, potentially delaying the airport project.

The much-awaited expansion of Mamnoor airport in Warangal could face delays as the district administration has yet to disburse compensation to farmers whose lands are being acquired for the project. Farmers are protesting the issuance of notices directing them not to cultivate during the current season.

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Farmers from Gunturpally, Gadipally and Nakkalapally have been instructed by the district administration not to undertake cultivation, as their lands have been identified for acquisition. However, they are demanding that compensation be paid first and insist they will continue farming until the payments are made.

The central government formally approved the airport expansion project in February this year. An estimated 950 acres are required for the expansion. Of this, 696 acres are already available with the airport, and an additional 260 acres are being acquired from nearly 200 farmers and private landowners, mainly from the three villages.

To expedite land acquisition, the State government released Rs 205 crore in November last year. Since then, the district administration, in coordination with elected public representatives, has held several meetings with farmers to discuss compensation terms.

Following these discussions, farmers reportedly agreed to a compensation amount of Rs 1.20 crore per acre. However, with payments still pending, farmers have begun tilling their fields and sowing seeds for the current agricultural season.

On Friday, the district administration issued notices reiterating that cultivation should be stopped. But farmers maintain that unless compensation is deposited in their accounts, they will not vacate the lands.

Most of the landholders are small and marginal farmers who have been cultivating these lands for generations. They argue that farming is their only source of livelihood and question how the government expects them to hand over their land without receiving compensation.