Tamil Nadu Drops ₹20,000 Crore Parandur Airport Plan, to Seek Alternate Site

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Tamil Nadu government has dropped the proposal to build a second airport at Parandur, located about 60 km west of Chennai, which was the site selected by the previous administration. Local residents believed the project would force large-scale displacement and destroy farmland. The state government made this decision following prolonged protests by villagers and political mobilization from various quarters.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay stated that the new airport site will be chosen in an area that does not provoke local opposition, and the alternative location will only be finalized after an expert team completes a technical feasibility study. He said the decision was made to avoid large-scale displacement and protect arable land, while criticizing the previous government for selecting a densely populated area. Before finalizing the alternate site, the government will conduct surveys and consultations.

The airport project was announced by the former Chief Minister on August 2, 2022, with an estimated investment of ₹20,000 crore and a designed annual passenger handling capacity of 100 million. Shortly after the announcement, residents of Parandur and nearby villagers began protesting, which continued for over a year; opponents warned that the project would cause loss of livelihoods and environmental damage. In January 2025, Vijay, then president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, joined the protests, and his party also expressed support for the protesters.

At the same meeting, the Chief Minister also announced the "Annapooranai Super Six" scheme. Starting January 14, the government will provide free liquefied petroleum gas cylinders to every household and credit the cost of three cylinders into beneficiaries' bank accounts. The scheme allocates ₹4,000 crore annually and is expected to benefit 13 million households. Eligible families reportedly include those with annual incomes below ₹250,000, small and marginal farmers, families with disabled members, and other vulnerable groups.