Parandur airport project dropped: Tamil Nadu CM announces Terminal 5, alternative sites

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday announced that his government will drop the proposed airport at Parandur and identify alternative locations for a new airport to serve Chennai. Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, he said a new Terminal 5 will be developed in the north-western area of the existing Chennai airport in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), along with an approach road and a flyover.

The Parandur project, conceived by the previous government as a second airport for Chennai, had been a contentious issue for years. Farmers and local residents held prolonged protests against the acquisition of fertile agricultural land and the potential displacement of human settlements. The site is located in Kanchipuram district, around 70 km from Chennai. The protests drew wide attention, with farmers and civil society groups demanding that the project be scrapped. Mr. Vijay had visited Parandur in 2025 to express solidarity with the protesting farmers and had earlier announced at Vikravandi that he would oppose the airport project. During his visit, he had reaffirmed his commitment to protecting farmers' land, a position he reiterated in his Assembly statement.

In his statement, the Chief Minister said experts had been consulted on the creation of a new airport and a few alternative sites had been identified that would cause minimal damage to farmland and human settlements. "The site will be finalised after studying the technical feasibility and consulting the departments concerned," he said.

The announcement was made under Rule 110 of the Assembly, which allows a minister to make a statement on a matter of urgent public importance but does not provide for a debate. When the main Opposition DMK sought to respond, Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar disallowed a debate on the announcement. Former Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu rose to say he was not seeking to debate the issue but wanted to make a clarification. The Speaker, however, stood his ground, after which DMK members walked out of the House. The DMK said the walkout was a protest against the denial of a discussion on a matter that would have a long-term impact on the state's infrastructure and farmers.

Mr. Vijay said he was fully aware of the role of airports in industrial development but maintained that an airport should not be built at Parandur as it would affect vast tracts of farmland and human settlements. "But the previous government tried to create a new airport at the cost of farmers, their lands and human settlements," he said.

Providing details about the existing Chennai airport, the Chief Minister said it currently handles 30 million passengers a year, and the capacity would increase to 35 million once Terminal 3 is completed. "After the completion of Terminal 5, the passenger capacity will increase by another 55 million a year. It will improve the services and transport facilities until a new airport is completed," he said. The Chief Minister added that the approach road and flyover are designed to improve connectivity to the airport and manage the expected increase in traffic.

The decision marks a significant departure from the previous government's infrastructure strategy. The state government will now conduct technical feasibility studies and consult relevant departments before finalising an alternative site. Until the new airport is built, Terminal 5 is expected to ease pressure on the existing airport infrastructure, while the search for a new location continues without affecting farmlands and settlements. The government has not disclosed the alternative sites, but the announcement brings clarity to farmers and residents who had opposed the Parandur project.

The Chief Minister reiterated that his government would prioritise the welfare of farmers and residents while pursuing infrastructure development. The alternative sites, he said, would be selected after technical feasibility studies and consultation with relevant departments, ensuring minimal impact on farmland and human settlements. He emphasised that the new airport would be developed with due consideration to the environment and the needs of local communities.