Vijay Scraps Parandur Airport, Seeks New Site
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has announced that the state government will drop the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur near Chennai, citing concerns over agricultural land, waterbodies and displacement of local residents. The government will instead evaluate alternative locations for Chennai’s second airport.
Vijay Scraps Parandur Airport Project
Announcing the decision in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 24, Vijay said the government would not proceed with an airport project that significantly affected farming communities, residential areas and local livelihoods.
Parandur had been selected by the previous government for a major greenfield airport intended to meet Chennai’s growing passenger and cargo requirements. The project had faced sustained protests from residents and farmers over land acquisition and environmental concerns.
Chennai Second Airport to Get Alternative Site
Vijay stressed that Chennai still requires additional airport capacity because of rising passenger traffic, cargo movement and industrial expansion.
The state government will now assess alternative sites based on connectivity, technical feasibility, environmental impact and the extent of disruption to agricultural land and settlements.
The decision means Tamil Nadu will restart a key part of the site-selection process for Chennai’s second airport.
Chennai Airport Expansion Also Planned
Alongside the search for a new greenfield airport location, the government is also considering further expansion of Chennai International Airport at Meenambakkam.
The existing airport has undergone major terminal expansion in recent years, but long-term traffic growth is expected to require additional capacity.
The decision to abandon Parandur has drawn criticism from the opposition DMK, which has argued that restarting the process could delay critical aviation infrastructure and affect Tamil Nadu’s future economic growth.
