Tamil Nadu’s push to emerge as a global manufacturing hub is facing a bottleneck in aviation, with experts flagging administrative hurdles as a key reason airport growth is lagging.
The state currently has international airports at Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai, while Salem and Thoothukudi operate as domestic airports. Although these facilities are under the Union government’s control, the state’s role becomes crucial when new airports are planned, especially for land acquisition.
Industry observers say requests from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for land often take a long time to be processed, slowing passenger growth and infrastructure upgrades. They point out that several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra, have created dedicated aviation boards to drive airport development and attract investment.
In Tamil Nadu, land acquisition and related tasks are currently handled by the state industrial promotion agency TIDCO. However, experts argue that without a specialised authority, proposed airport works in areas such as Parandur and Hosur have remained stalled.
Aviation specialists say the state’s export profile—especially electronics and components—makes air cargo critical. They propose a board designed to work jointly with AAI, suggesting a body such as a “Tamil Nadu Airport Development Corporation” to streamline approvals, enable airport-linked opportunities like MRO, and support broader economic growth.
