The proposed Sabarimala Greenfield Airport at Erumely is back in focus, with fresh political pressure building on the UDF government to revive the long stalled project even as crucial legal battles over land acquisition and ownership await adjudication in the High Court.The project has remained in limbo for more than seven months after suffering major legal setbacks. Proceedings to acquire land came to a halt following adverse court orders, while the dispute over the ownership of the Cheruvally Estate continues to cast a shadow over the project. Despite completing two months in office, the United Democratic Front government is yet to spell out its stand on the airport, adding to the uncertainty over its future.Seeking to revive the project, Congress MLA from Kanjirappally Rony K. Baby has written to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, urging the government to resume the stalled proceedings and take steps to put the project back on track. The legislator is also expected to meet the Chief Minister shortly to press the demand.In his letter, Mr. Baby called on the government to establish the airport at the 2,263 acre Cheruvally Estate, spread across the Kanjirappally and Poonjar Assembly constituencies. He pointed out that several feasibility studies had identified the estate as the most suitable location for an international airport in Central Travancore.According to sources, the UDF Cabinet is expected to take a decision on the project after examining the legal issues surrounding the land.”The project did make some progress during the LDF government’s tenure. However, the new government will have to carefully examine the legal issues surrounding the site before taking a decision. It will also have to resolve the disputes through consensus building,” said a senior UDF leader.The High Court is scheduled to hear on Wednesday the State government’s appeal against the single judge’s order that quashed the land acquisition proceedings initiated under Section 11(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.In its December 2025 judgment, the single bench set aside the land acquisition notification and the Social Impact Assessment process and held that the government had failed to determine the absolute minimum extent of land required for the project as mandated under the Act. The court also directed the authorities to restart the acquisition process after carrying out a fresh assessment.Meanwhile, an appeal by the State government against an order by the Pala Sub Court rejecting its ownership claim over the Cheruvally Estate is also pending before the High Court. Legal experts say an early hearing in the case would be essential if the government intends to expedite the land acquisition process and revive the airport project.Even as the legal battle continues, an alternative proposal is also gathering momentum with residents around the Kodumon plantation forming an action committee demanding that the government consider the plantation as the site for the proposed airport. Published - July 14, 2026 07:52 pm IST