Tamil Nadu's Parandur airport decision 'irreversible setback': Stalin
Former Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin on Monday said the ruling party's decision to drop the proposed airport at Parandur near Chennai would set Tamil Nadu's development back by several years. He described the move as an "irreversible setback" for the State's growth.
In a social media post, Mr. Stalin said the announcement was made under Rule 110 of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, which he said shut out any opportunity for debate or for members to voice their views. "An announcement of such far-reaching importance being made under Rule 110, shutting out any opportunity for debate or even for members to voice their views, is deeply troubling," he wrote.
Mr. Stalin, who also served as Chief Minister until the recent election, argued that Tamil Nadu is a leader in sectors such as electronics exports and automobiles. He said a world-class airport in the capital is not merely desirable but absolutely essential. "Rejecting such a vital project is not change. It is a massive disappointment," he added.
The former Chief Minister said the Parandur site had been chosen after evaluating all alternatives, and that land acquisition and preparatory work were already completed. He alleged that the new government's decision to start the process afresh with a new location would lower the State's growth trajectory.
"We had drawn up plans to ensure that construction could begin at a rapid pace once we returned to office. If the new government now starts all over again, identifies another location and goes through the entire process before work can even begin, Tamil Nadu's growth trajectory itself will drop," he said.
Mr. Stalin also warned that the decision could hurt investor confidence. He claimed that under the previous 'Dravidian Model' government, Tamil Nadu had become the first port of call for investors. "This decision threatens to push the State to the bottom of the table. The Chief Minister's announcement is nothing short of a jackpot for competing States," he said.
Without industrial growth, he said, economic targets of one trillion or 1.5 trillion US dollars are impossible to achieve. "Taken without foresight, planning or consultation, this decision by the TVK government is a devastating blow to the employment dreams of Tamil Nadu's youth," he added.
Later, DMK members walked out of the Assembly after Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar refused to allow a discussion on the issue, citing Rule 110. Former Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu alleged that the project was dropped only for political reasons.
Mr. Thennarasu said the previous government had proposed to acquire 5,740 acres for the airport and had already acquired 90% of the land. He said he and other former ministers held several rounds of talks with villagers, and that all but one village agreed and accepted compensation. He questioned what the government would do with the acquired land, noting that under land acquisition rules, it cannot be used for any purpose other than the original project.
He also highlighted the economic implications, pointing to the growth of electronics manufacturing in Sriperumbudur that had been driven by the expectation of a major airport nearby. "Tamil Nadu tops in the import of electronic goods. The decision will affect industrial investment," he said.
Mr. Thennarasu cited the Bengaluru airport, which handles 5.5 lakh tonnes of cargo and facilitates trade with Europe, as an example of what Chennai also needs. He said the Metro Rail project had already been extended to Sunguvarchathiram because of the airport decision, and asked what would happen to that investment.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced the cancellation of the Parandur airport project earlier in the day. The government has yet to provide a detailed rationale beyond the Assembly announcement.
