TN Restarts Hunt for Second Airport Site After Scrapping Parandur Project
The Tamil Nadu government has restarted its search for a fresh site to construct Chennai's second airport after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government cancelled the proposed Parandur airport project. Potential alternative locations under consideration include Cheyyur and Gummidipoondi, with the Cheyyur site potentially requiring approval from the Ministry of Defence as it falls within airspace controlled by the Indian Air Force in Tambaram.
The decision sends the state back to the drawing board nearly three decades after a second airport was first mooted. For the aborted Parandur project in Kancheepuram district, which was planned across 5,846 acres, the government had already acquired 1,802 acres. Industries Minister Keerthana stated that this acquired land will now be repurposed for industrial use.
Cheyyur and Gummidipoondi were part of an initial list of 11 locations examined seven to eight years ago, though they were not part of the previous shortlist comprising Parandur, Pannur, Thiruporur, and Padalam. State officials note that Gummidipoondi's proximity to Pulicat Lake raises concerns regarding bird movement and air traffic. A site inspection is expected soon, after which the state must request the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to conduct a pre-feasibility study, hire a consultant, and seek fresh site clearances.
Because building an airport at a new location will take at least five to seven years, authorities have shifted immediate focus toward expanding capacity at the existing Meenambakkam airport. Plans include constructing a new T5 Terminal between the main and secondary runways, along with an elevated corridor from National Highway 32.
The completion of phase 2 modernisation, including the T2 and T3 terminals, is slated to raise Meenambakkam's annual capacity to 35 million passengers, while the T5 Terminal would expand it to 55 million. However, aviation experts note that phase 2 missed its initial 2022 deadline and project that the T5 Terminal and corridor could take at least five years to complete.
