Legal Hurdles and Political Pressure Cloud Sabarimala Airport Revival

The proposed Sabarimala Greenfield Airport at Erumely has resurfaced in public discourse as political leaders push for its revival, even as legal disputes over land acquisition and ownership remain unresolved in the Kerala High Court.

The project has been stalled for over seven months following adverse court orders that halted land acquisition proceedings. Additionally, a dispute over the ownership of the Cheruvally Estate—the identified site for the airport—continues to create uncertainty. The United Democratic Front (UDF) government, which has completed two months in office, has yet to announce its official stance on the matter.

Congress MLA Rony K. Baby from Kanjirappally has written to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan urging resumption of the project. He emphasised that the 2,263-acre Cheruvally Estate, spread across Kanjirappally and Poonjar constituencies, has been identified as the most suitable location for an international airport in Central Travancore by multiple feasibility studies.

The UDF Cabinet is expected to examine the legal issues surrounding the land before making a decision. A senior UDF leader stated, “The project did make some progress during the Left government’s tenure. However, the new government will have to carefully examine the legal issues and resolve disputes through consensus building.”

On Wednesday, the High Court is scheduled to hear the state government’s appeal against a single-judge order from December 2025 that quashed land acquisition proceedings. The single bench had ruled that the government failed to determine the minimum extent of land required for the project as mandated under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The court directed authorities to restart the acquisition process after a fresh assessment.

Separately, an appeal by the state government against a sub-court order rejecting its ownership claim over the Cheruvally Estate is also pending. Legal experts suggest that an early hearing is essential if the government intends to expedite the process.

Amid the legal uncertainties, an alternative proposal is gaining traction. Residents near the Kodumon plantation have formed an action committee demanding that the government consider that site for the airport instead.