Tamil Nadu Shortlists Two Sites for Chennai's Second Airport, Seeks AAI Study

The Tamil Nadu government has shortlisted two locations for building Chennai's second airport and has asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to conduct a pre-feasibility study. The move comes about a week after the Chief Minister announced that the State government would drop the greenfield airport project planned at Parandur and look for alternative sites.

The two sites identified are Cheyyur in Chengalpattu district and Manellore, near Gummidipoondi, in Tiruvallur district. Government sources said the State has formally requested AAI to study both locations. A final decision is expected only after AAI submits its recommendations in the pre-feasibility report.

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has already completed the first round of inspections of both sites, according to sources.

Cheyyur is located approximately 40 km from Puducherry airport and about 35 km from Kalpakkam. The Manellore site is roughly 50 km from Chennai and 35 km from Sriharikota.

There are, however, regulatory hurdles that may affect the project. A source explained that Cheyyur could be feasible provided the Ministry of Defence gives clearance, since the Indian Air Force station at Tambaram controls the airspace in the region. Manellore, on the other hand, is said to face some challenges.

As the next step, a team of AAI officials will visit both sites and carry out an inspection before drafting the report. The report is expected to be submitted within a few months.

“The State government wants to start the process on the second airport soon. It will help if AAI speeds up and gives the report at the earliest,” another source said.

Even with an early recommendation, a third source noted that the project may take a minimum of five to seven years to become a reality. This includes time needed for clearances, land acquisition, and construction.

The search for an alternative site comes amid growing air traffic at Chennai's existing airport. Infrastructure experts have long called for a second airport to handle future demand and decongest the current facility. The decision to abandon the Parandur site, which had been planned earlier, has now opened the door for these two new locations.

Both candidate sites are spread over large tracts of land, but they require extensive evaluation of technical aspects such as airspace management, environmental impact, and connectivity to the city. The AAI's pre-feasibility study will assess these factors and suggest which location is more suitable for an airport project of this scale.