Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Monday announced in the state Assembly that his TVK government would abandon the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur in Kancheepuram district, citing its impact on farmland and the livelihoods of local residents.
"I stand firmly with the people protesting against the airport to be established in Chennai's Parandur and 12 surrounding villages," Vijay said, adding that he had already voiced opposition to the project during a public meeting in Vikravandi in October 2024.
"To fulfil the promise I made to the people that day... the steps taken to establish a new airport in Parandur will be abandoned by this government," he said.
“Chief Minister Joseph Vijay announces that the TVK government will abandon the plans to set up a new airport in Parandur pic.twitter.com/mt55zByEii
— Vignesh Theni (@Vignesh_twitz) August 24, 2026
Why The Project Was Scrapped
Vijay said the existing Meenambakkam airport, operated by the Airports Authority of India, handles about 30 million passengers annually and that a new facility was needed to meet Chennai's growing industrial and cargo needs, but not at the cost of displacing farmers.
"However, this project should not be located in Parandur. The government must reconsider this project," he said, calling for an alternative site where minimal agricultural land is affected.
The Parandur site had drawn sustained opposition since it was identified, with environmentalists warning that its lakes and wetlands act as natural flood buffers for Chennai and could worsen monsoon flooding if built over.
History And Timeline Of The Project
The Parandur project traces back to August 2022, when the then DMK government under M.K. Stalin selected the 70-km-from-Chennai site, spread across roughly 5,746 acres, over rival location Pannur, at an estimated cost of Rs 27,400 crore.
Residents of Parandur, Ekanapuram and neighbouring villages protested for over 900 days after land acquisition began in earnest following a November 2023 government order.
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The Centre granted in-principle approval for the project in April 2025, and by June 2026 nearly 1,700 acres had been acquired across 12 villages, with compensation disbursed to reportedly over 90% of affected landowners.
What's Next
Vijay said detailed consultations had been held with senior officials and experts on identifying a new location, adding that a few alternative sites had already been shortlisted and a detailed plan would follow after further analysis.
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