Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay announced the government will abandon plans to build a new greenfield airport in Parandur.

The decision halts a massive infrastructure project to prioritize the protection of rural livelihoods and food security in the region.

The Parandur project carried an estimated cost of ₹27,400 crore [1]. The government said the potential for significant disruption to the local community was the primary reason for the cancellation. The project would have required the acquisition of vast tracts of land near Chennai, leading to protests from local residents.

"The project would affect agricultural land and disrupt the livelihoods of farmers and residents," Vijay said.

While the Parandur site is no longer being pursued, the state government is considering an alternative site for a new airport. This shift indicates a move toward finding a location that minimizes social and environmental friction, a key priority for the current administration.

To address immediate aviation needs, the government plans to expand the existing Chennai airport. This expansion includes the construction of a fifth terminal. This addition is expected to provide an annual passenger capacity increase of 20 million passengers [2].

The cancellation marks a significant departure from previous planning phases. The government is now balancing the need for increased air connectivity with the necessity of preserving the state's agricultural base. Officials said they have not yet named the new site under consideration, but they indicated that the search for a viable alternative continues.

“The government abandoned the ₹27,400 crore greenfield airport plan to protect agricultural land.”

This cancellation represents a pivot in Tamil Nadu's infrastructure strategy, prioritizing agrarian interests over rapid industrial expansion. By shifting focus to the expansion of the existing Chennai airport, the government seeks a faster, less contentious way to increase capacity while avoiding the political and social costs associated with large-scale land acquisition in Parandur.