Tamil Nadu Shortlists Manellore, Cheyyur For New Airport After Parandur Project Scrapped

The Tamil Nadu government has shortlisted its search to two locations for a new airport to cater to the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA): Manellore and Cheyyur, according to sources on Sunday.

The development comes less than two weeks after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced that the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur would be scrapped.

According to sources, the two alternative locations were identified within a week and have now been recommended to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for a feasibility assessment.

Manellore is located around 60 kilometres from Chennai, while Cheyyur is approximately 100 kilometres away from the state capital.

Parandur Project Faced Opposition

The decision to abandon the Parandur airport project has drawn criticism from the Opposition. Chief Minister Vijay had defended the move in the state Assembly, saying the interests of farmers were a major consideration.

The Chief Minister acknowledged that Chennai requires a second airport to meet rising passenger demand, support industrial expansion and strengthen cargo transportation. However, he said the location should be chosen in a way that causes the least possible disruption to agricultural land and residential settlements.

Parandur, situated near the Chennai-Bengaluru highway and around 28 kilometres from Sriperumbudur, had been proposed as the site for the second airport under the previous government.

Government Cites Land And Clearance Concerns

The Vijay government has also criticised the manner in which the Parandur project was pursued under the previous DMK administration.

Tamil Nadu Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar had claimed that the project moved ahead without an environmental impact assessment and the required environmental clearances.

According to Kumar, the proposed airport required 5,846 acres of land. This included 3,774 acres of private patta land, of which 2,681 acres was classified as fertile agricultural land.

The minister also said that out of 1,972 acres of government land earmarked for the project, around 1,558 acres comprised water bodies and canals.

Only around 1,802 acres, or 48 per cent of the total land requirement, had been acquired, Kumar claimed.

Dispute Over How Much Work Was Completed

The issue led to a political showdown in the Assembly when DMK MLA S Austin took issue on the decision to shelve the project, saying the State will face economic setback after making substantial progress in the project.

The state government rejected the DMK's claim that around 90 per cent of the project had been completed.

Kumar said land acquisition had not even begun in several villages, including Ekanapuram, Karai, Thandalam and Siruvalur.

AAI Feasibility Study Next

With Manellore and Cheyyur now identified as potential alternatives, the next stage will involve feasibility studies by the Airports Authority of India.

The proposed airport is expected to address Chennai's long-term aviation requirements while supporting the city's growing industrial, passenger and cargo needs.

The final site will depend on the outcome of the feasibility assessment and other technical and environmental considerations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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