Chennai, 25 August — The Tamil Nadu government has decided to drop the proposed Greenfield International Airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district and will now identify an alternative site for a new international airport near Chennai, the Industries Policy Note said on Tuesday.
Search for new location; AAI to assess suitability
The note said the state will appoint experts to short-list potential sites, which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will then check for technical suitability before the government takes a final decision, according to ANI. The move follows sustained opposition to the Parandur plan over environmental concerns and the potential impact on livelihoods and agricultural land.
The Industries Policy Note also recorded that AAI has proposed a new passenger handling system on the north‑west side of the existing Chennai airport at Meenambakkam to improve handling of passenger and cargo traffic. For the proposed facility, the authority has sought permission from the Tamil Nadu government to construct a road tying the new system to the national highway.
"AAI has sought permission from the Tamil Nadu government to lay a road connecting the new passenger handling system with the national highway. The state government said it would provide all necessary assistance to AAI to implement the project," the note said.
Officials said the state will extend necessary cooperation to AAI to implement the Meenambakkam expansion. The Industries Policy Note framed the twin approach as simultaneously improving services at the existing Chennai airport and pursuing a new airport at a different location to meet rising passenger and cargo demand in the city and neighbouring districts.
Reasons for dropping Parandur and local response
The Parandur project was formally dropped after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced the decision in the Tamil Nadu Assembly under Rule 110. The government cited environmental considerations, the loss of agricultural land and the need to avoid large-scale relocation of residents in areas around Parandur as primary reasons for abandoning the site.
Parandur had been proposed as a Greenfield site but faced protests from local villagers. The Industries Policy Note said the government will now pursue alternative sites identified with expert help and subject to AAI's technical assessments.
- Decision taken: Parandur Greenfield airport project dropped.
- Next steps: Experts to identify new potential sites; AAI to assess suitability.
- AAI expansion: Proposal for a new passenger handling system at Meenambakkam with a connecting road to the national highway.
The dual-track policy — to expand facilities at the existing airport while searching for an alternative location for a new airport — aims to manage growing aviation demand without repeating the social and environmental objections that dogged the Parandur plan.
| Item | Status / Action |
|---|---|
| Parandur Greenfield Airport | Dropped by state government |
| New site for airport | To be identified by state with expert help; AAI to verify suitability |
| Chennai Airport expansion | AAI proposed passenger handling system at north‑west side; road linkage to national highway sought |
The state note did not set a timeline for site selection or for the AAI assessments. Government sources emphasised that any new proposal would require detailed technical feasibility studies and clearances, and that the administration was conscious of avoiding displacement and agricultural loss that sparked local opposition at Parandur.
As the state begins the process of identifying alternative sites, civic groups, environmental activists and farming communities around Chennai and neighbouring districts are likely to monitor proposals closely. The government’s repeated assurances of expert-led technical checks and AAI involvement are intended to provide a procedural basis for decision-making, but political and local reactions will shape how swiftly the process proceeds.
— Reporting from Chennai
