Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has announced that the proposed Parandur greenfield airport project near Chennai will be dropped following concerns over the large-scale acquisition of agricultural land and the impact on residential areas. The Parandur airport had been planned as a major long-term aviation project to meet Chennai’s growing passenger and cargo demand. However, concerns raised over the displacement of residents, loss of farmland and the wider impact on local communities have led the state government to reconsider the project. With the Parandur plan now being scrapped, Chennai’s wait for a new airport is expected to continue while the government searches for a more suitable location.

The state government is now studying alternative sites for a new greenfield airport that can support Chennai’s future aviation requirements without creating similar land and rehabilitation concerns. Officials will have to assess factors including land availability, connectivity, environmental impact, proximity to the city and the potential effect on surrounding communities before finalising a new location. The decision is significant for Chennai, which has witnessed steadily increasing demand for air travel and requires additional airport infrastructure to accommodate future passenger growth. The search for an alternative site could therefore take considerable time as authorities work towards balancing development needs with the concerns of affected residents and farmers.

Meanwhile, the government is also looking at expanding the existing Chennai airport to address capacity pressures in the near term. Terminal-5 is planned as part of the expansion, with the existing airport’s annual passenger-handling capacity expected to increase from around 35 million to 55 million. The expansion is aimed at providing additional capacity while the state evaluates options for a new airport site. The move could offer Chennai some breathing room as the government works on its longer-term aviation strategy, but the cancellation of the Parandur project means the city’s proposed second airport remains without a final location and timeline.