TNCC Welcomes Parandur Airport Cancellation, Demands Alternative Site

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) has welcomed the cancellation of the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur near Chennai, citing environmental vulnerabilities, technical issues, and sustained farmer protests. TNCC president Manickam Tagore called on the state government to identify and approve an alternative site through a transparent, time-bound process.

In a statement, Tagore said the Airports Authority of India's feasibility report submitted in March 2022 had already raised major concerns regarding Parandur. The site was surrounded by water bodies, with more than a quarter of the land covered by irrigation tanks and a 201-hectare man-made lake located 1.4 km from its boundary.

According to the statement, the same technical concerns regarding low-lying and waterlogged land were cited by the government while cancelling the project in 2026. Tagore questioned why these findings were left unaddressed for nearly three years.

Tagore also noted that Parandur compared unfavourably with Pannur on multiple metrics. Parandur is located about 62 km from Chennai, compared to 27.6 km for Pannur, and was projected to displace roughly 1,005 families, compared to about 250 at Pannur. Furthermore, Parandur required nearly double the volume of earthwork for filling and grading.

The TNCC president pointed out that farmers from Ekanapuram and nearby villages maintained their agitation for more than 1,000 days to protect their land, water resources, and livelihoods, adding that the project's cancellation vindicated their resistance.

The party also criticised the land acquisition process under the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation for Special Projects Act, 2023, stating it was passed by voice vote without sufficient discussion and lacked a genuine consent framework. It noted that environmental clearances, a full environment impact assessment, and the State Wetland Authority's NOC remained pending while acquisition proceeded.

Tagore emphasised that the cancellation should not delay Chennai's need for expanded aviation capacity. He demanded a clear outer deadline to approve an alternative site with proper social impact assessments and community consultations. He also sought clarity within three months on land acquired in Nelvoy, Nagapattu, Thandalam, Podavur, Valathur, and Akkammapuram, along with the immediate release of the remaining 30 per cent compensation and restoration of basic civic infrastructure.