Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay announced the cancellation of the proposed greenfield Parandur airport project during a session of the state legislative assembly.

The decision ends years of tension between the state government and local residents who feared the loss of fertile farmland. By scrapping the project, the administration aims to protect agricultural livelihoods, and preserve the rural landscape surrounding Chennai.

Chief Minister Vijay said the existing Meenambakkam airport can accommodate additional passenger traffic, which reduces the immediate necessity for a new site. Local residents expressed gratitude toward the chief minister following the announcement, as the project had become a point of significant local contention.

The search for a second airport to serve Chennai has spanned 25 years [1]. The Parandur site specifically was selected four years ago, at which point the government began the process of land acquisition [2].

Despite the announcement, the decision has sparked a political slugfest within the state. While local farmers welcome the move, other political factions have questioned the long-term infrastructure strategy for the region. The cancellation comes after a period of uncertainty where the project's status remained in limbo while timelines were discussed.

The state government said that the focus will remain on optimizing current aviation infrastructure rather than displacing rural communities for a new greenfield development. This shift marks a departure from previous administration goals that prioritized rapid airport expansion to meet growing demand in the Tamil Nadu capital region.

“Chief Minister Joseph Vijay announced the cancellation of the proposed greenfield Parandur airport project”

The cancellation of the Parandur project reflects a prioritization of agrarian interests over industrial expansion. By relying on the existing Meenambakkam airport, the government avoids the political and social cost of forced land acquisition, though it may face future capacity constraints as passenger traffic grows.