The proposed second airport for Chennai at Parandur in Kancheepuram district has come under fresh uncertainty after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which had opposed the project, is set to form the government.
Passenger and cargo traffic at Chennai’s Meenambakkam airport has been rising, while expansion options are limited. Citing this constraint, the previous DMK-led state government decided to develop a second airport at Parandur through a public-private partnership.
The project is being implemented through the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO). The estimated cost is Rs 29,150 crore, and about 5,320 acres across Parandur and around 20 nearby villages are required. The Revenue Department has been acquiring around 3,750 acres of private land, and more than half of the land has reportedly been acquired.
The Centre has already granted site clearance and in-principle approval, and the state had planned to begin the first phase of construction in January and complete it by 2028. Land acquisition was temporarily paused due to the Assembly election, while officials were preparing tender documents to select a construction agency after the polls.
Local farmers have been protesting the project, saying agricultural lands would be lost. TVK leader Vijay visited Parandur in January 2025 and expressed support for the protesters while opposing the airport plan. With Vijay now taking charge as Chief Minister, attention has turned to whether the project will be cancelled, continued, or moved to an alternative location.
