Tamil Nadu CM Vijay scraps Parandur airport plan, cites farmers, ecology

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday announced his government would scrap the proposed second Chennai airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district, a project estimated at Rs 20,000 crore with capacity for 100 million passengers annually. The decision, four years after the previous DMK government announced it in August 2022, follows sustained protests by farmers and residents who said the greenfield project would destroy paddy land and water bodies. Vijay told the state assembly the existing Meenambakkam airport will be expanded with a new Terminal 5, raising its capacity from 30 million to 55 million passengers annually.

Vijay said alternative sites will be identified through technical feasibility studies, with minimal impact on agriculture and residences. He recalled joining the Parandur protests in January 2025, before his TVK party came to power. The Opposition DMK staged a walkout after the Speaker refused its demand for a discussion. Hindustan Times reports Vijay promised alternative sites and stressed farmer protection, while the Economic Times notes the Civil Aviation Ministry had granted in-principle approval for the Parandur site in April 2025.