Chennai: Union Minister of State L. Murugan on Monday urged the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider its decision to abandon the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur, warning that the move could delay Chennai’s aviation and infrastructure development.
In a statement, Murugan said the second airport had been proposed in view of rising passenger traffic at Chennai International Airport and the city’s continuing expansion. Parandur in Kancheepuram district was selected after overcoming several delays and administrative hurdles, he said.
The proposed airport was to be developed across nearly 5,746 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 27,400 crore. More than 1,700 acres had reportedly already been acquired for the project. Murugan said Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s announcement in the Assembly that the project would be dropped had caused serious concern, particularly since the government had not provided a detailed explanation.
He alleged that the decision appeared to be politically motivated. Before the Assembly election, Vijay had visited Parandur and promised residents that the project would be cancelled if the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) came to power.
Murugan questioned how the government intended to use the land already acquired and what would happen to the compensation paid to landowners. He also sought clarity on when and where an alternative site would be identified. Selecting a new location and securing the necessary clearances could substantially delay the construction of Chennai’s second airport, he warned.
Noting that new airports were being developed in several Indian cities, Murugan said Chennai risked falling behind Bengaluru and Hyderabad as the capacity of its existing airport became increasingly constrained. Abandoning the Parandur project could also affect several associated infrastructure initiatives, including proposed road and Metro rail links, he said.
Plans had been drawn up to extend the Metro network beyond Poonamallee towards Parandur, while the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway had also been aligned to improve connectivity to the proposed airport.
Murugan said uncertainty over the airport could undermine investments already made in these projects and adversely affect the region’s transport, trade and economic growth.
He appealed to the TVK government to set aside political considerations and prioritise Tamil Nadu’s long-term development. The Chief Minister should withdraw the decision, revive the Parandur airport project and ensure that construction is completed expeditiously, Murugan said.
(IANS)
