Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced that his government would abandon the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur near Chennai, ending plans to develop the city's second airport at the site. Vijay made the announcement in the state Assembly, saying the project would affect agricultural land and disrupt the livelihoods of farmers and residents in Parandur and surrounding villages.
Vijay said Chennai's existing Meenambakkam airport, operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), currently has the capacity to handle around 30 million passengers annually. He maintained that Chennai still needs a new airport because of rising passenger demand, industrial growth and increasing cargo movement. However, the Chief Minister said such infrastructure should be developed at a location where agricultural land, residential areas and people's livelihoods are affected as little as possible. The government is now examining alternative locations for the proposed second airport.
Vijay backs Parandur protesters
The Chief Minister recalled his earlier visits and statements opposing the Parandur proposal. He said he had visited Eganapuram and other villages on January 20, 2025, and heard the concerns of residents protesting against the airport project. Vijay also said he had opposed the proposed location at a public meeting in Vikravandi in October 2024, while making it clear that he supported industrial development and the need for better aviation infrastructure in Tamil Nadu.
The Parandur project had faced sustained resistance from farmers and residents over concerns relating to agricultural land, water bodies and the potential impact on local livelihoods. The proposed airport was planned across a large area in Kancheepuram district and had become a major point of political and public debate. Earlier reports had indicated that the TVK government was considering alternative locations for Chennai's second airport.
Alternative airport site under review
Vijay said consultations had been held with senior officials and experts on the requirement for a new airport. The government intends to identify a location that can accommodate the city's future aviation requirements without causing comparable disruption to agricultural communities. Recent reports have indicated that several possible locations were being examined for the second airport.
The decision marks a major change in the state's approach to Chennai's airport expansion plans. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had listed Parandur Airport, Tamil Nadu, among greenfield airport projects with in-principle approval earlier this year.
Vijay's announcement now formally closes the government's plan to proceed with Parandur as the location, while keeping the broader objective of developing another airport for Chennai alive. The next focus will be on identifying a new site and determining whether it can meet the city's projected aviation needs while limiting its impact on farmland and residential communities.
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