TN govt may hand over land required to build Thoothukudi space launch centre in 6 months: Centre

The Tamil Nadu government may hand over the land required to build a space launch centre in Thoothukudi district within the next six months, the government informed Parliament on Wednesday.

In accordance with a request by the Department of Space, the Tamil Nadu government has identified 961 hectares of land in the district to build the space launch centre, Union Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh said in the Lok Sabha.

Singh is in charge of the Department of Space, which comes under the PMO.

In a written reply to a question, the minister said, "It is expected that the Government of Tamil Nadu may hand over the land (for the space launch centre) within a period of six months." "Normally, on taking over the land, realisation of such infrastructure may take two to three years' time," he noted.

Singh informed that the land survey has been completed for 431 hectares of the aforementioned 961 hectares of land.

Survey work for the balance area is in an advanced stage,he said.

Land acquisition by Government of Tamil Nadu is in progress at Madhavankurichi, Padukkapathu and Pallakurichi villages of Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu,he added. 

(Image Credits:PTI)