Archive · 22 Dec 2025
Kerala High Court Halts Sabarimala Airport Land Acquisition
The Kerala High Court has stopped the state government from taking land for a new airport near Sabarimala.
The court said the government didn't properly figure out how much land was really needed.
They asked the government to start the process again and do a better job of checking the land requirements.
The court also said that the reports supporting the land acquisition were not good enough.
They want the government to make sure they only take the minimum amount of land necessary for the airport.
Kerala High Court quashed the state's land acquisition for Sabarimala Greenfield Airport due to lack of clarity on minimum land requirement.
The court found the Social Impact Assessment and expert committee reports insufficient in justifying the land acquisition.
The state government had planned to acquire 2,570 acres of land, including the Cheruvally Estate.
The court directed the state to conduct a fresh Social Impact Assessment and expert appraisal to determine the minimum land requirement.
The petition was filed by the Ayana Charitable Trust challenging the acquisition process and the extent of land sought.
- Who
- Kerala High Court, Ayana Charitable Trust, Kerala State Government
- What
- Quashing of land acquisition for Sabarimala Greenfield Airport
- When
- December 19 (order date), December 30, 2022 (land acquisition order)
- Where
- Kerala, India
- Why
- Lack of clarity on minimum land requirement and defective supporting reports
- Court
- Kerala High Court
- Petitioners
- Ayana Charitable Trust and its Managing Trustee
- Land Acquired
- 2,570 acres
- Act
- Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
- Key Issue
- Lack of clarity on minimum land requirement
- Court's Directive
- Fresh Social Impact Assessment and expert appraisal