The Tamil Nadu government has announced that the proposed second airport for Chennai at Parandur will be dropped, Chief Minister Vijay said. The decision comes after prolonged opposition from residents of villages in and around Parandur, where protests have continued against the airport project proposed by the previous MK Stalin-led government.

Vijay said the government would instead identify and propose a new location where there is no opposition from local residents. Parandur is located around 60 km west of Chennai and had been identified as the site for a major greenfield airport intended to meet the city's growing aviation requirements.

The project had been planned as a second airport for Chennai, with the proposed facility expected to eventually handle increasing passenger and air traffic as demand for connectivity in the metropolitan region grows. The Parandur proposal, however, faced sustained resistance from residents in the affected areas.

Local communities had raised objections to the project over concerns surrounding land acquisition and its potential impact on villages and livelihoods. The protests continued for an extended period, creating a major challenge for the government's plans to proceed with the airport at the selected site.

Vijay said the government would not pursue the Parandur location and would instead look for an alternative site for Chennai's second airport. He said the new location would be proposed in an area where there is no opposition from the people. The approach places local acceptance at the centre of the government's next attempt to identify a suitable location for the major infrastructure project.

The decision represents a significant change in the airport plan, which had been pursued by the previous government despite sustained protests. Selecting a new location is likely to require fresh assessments covering land availability, connectivity, environmental considerations and the project's long-term viability.

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The government will also need to examine whether the alternative site can meet Chennai's future aviation requirements while minimising disruption to existing settlements. Chennai's need for additional airport capacity has been linked to the city's growing population, economic activity and passenger traffic.

The existing Chennai airport serves as a major aviation hub for Tamil Nadu and connects the city with destinations across India and abroad. A second airport is intended to provide additional capacity and support the region's long-term transportation and economic needs.

However, finding a location that combines suitable infrastructure conditions with community acceptance is likely to be a key challenge. The prolonged protests at Parandur demonstrated the difficulties involved when large infrastructure projects require land and affect established communities.

By ruling out Parandur, the government is seeking to avoid repeating that conflict and has indicated that public opposition will be an important consideration when selecting the next site. The government has not yet announced the alternative location for the airport.

Vijay said a new site would be proposed after identifying a place where residents do not oppose the project. Further details regarding the proposed location, timeline and other technical aspects are expected once the government completes its assessment. The decision to drop Parandur marks a major shift in Chennai's plans for a second airport.

After years of protests over the proposed site, the government has now indicated that it will begin the process of identifying an alternative location. The new proposal will be closely watched as Tamil Nadu seeks to expand Chennai's aviation infrastructure while balancing development requirements with the concerns of local communities.

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