Stand firmly with farmers: Tamil Nadu Government drops Parandur airport plan, eyes alternative site for project
PTC News Desk: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced that his government would stop the process of setting up a new airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district. He said the decision was taken due to concerns about the project's impact on farmland, farmers and residential areas.
Speaking in the state Assembly, Vijay said Chennai's existing Meenambakkam airport, operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), can currently handle around 30 million passengers a year. He said Chennai needs a second airport to meet the growing demand, support industrial development and increase cargo movement.
However, Vijay said the site for the new airport should be chosen in a way that causes the least possible damage to agricultural land and residential areas.
Vijay supports Parandur Residents' protest
Vijay said the previous government had continued with the Parandur airport project despite concerns over its impact on farmers and nearby villages.
He recalled visiting Eganapuram and nearby villages on January 20, 2025, where residents had been protesting against the proposed airport. Vijay said he met the protesters and heard their concerns.
“I stand firmly with the people protesting against the airport to be established in Chennai's Parandur and 12 surrounding villages,” he said.
Calling farmers the backbone of the country, Vijay said he supported their efforts to protect their farmland and livelihoods. He also said he had opposed the Parandur airport project at a public meeting in Vikravandi in October 2024.
While supporting industrial growth and acknowledging the importance of airports for economic development, Vijay maintained that Parandur was not the right location for Chennai's second airport.
K Annamalai criticises decision
K Annamalai criticised the state government's decision to drop the Parandur airport project. He said that failing to identify an alternative location quickly could delay Chennai's second airport by at least 10 years.
In a post on X, he said Chennai's existing airport, with a capacity of around 30 million passengers a year, is already struggling to meet demand and has infrastructure limitations compared with airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
- With inputs from agencies
