Up in arms: The residents of 13 villages, including Ekanapuram, have been protesting against the land acquisition for the Parandur airport project for more than 950 days. Ekanapuram residents even boycotted the 2024 Lok Sabha election to draw attention to their opposition to the project, which they say will blight their livelihood.
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B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Nearly 50 years ago, the Madras airport stood tall as the gateway to South India. It was lauded for being an airport with a difference. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, it emerged as a hub of domestic and international air connectivity, linking the city with destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and Indonesia. By 1989, it served as a true port to the rest of the world from a corner in south India, operating direct flights to London and New York.
However, cracks began to appear over the course of time. What started as minor lapses turned into systemic issues that remained largely unaddressed. In the two decades following privatisation, as the Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports soared ahead in infrastructure and passenger traffic, the Chennai airport remained where it had been. The once-glorious airport increasingly faced criticism for congestion, poor maintenance, inadequate services, and poor accessibility. It now ranks only as the fifth busiest airport in the country. After years of stagnation and missed opportunities, Chennai is finally readying for a complete overhaul of aviation infrastructure. The long-anticipated second airport project at Parandur is taking shape, promising to be a state-of-the-art facility that aspires to put Chennai back on a par with India’s top-tier airports.
Preparing for take-off
The groundwork for Chennai’s second airport was laid three years ago when the Tamil Nadu government announced the selection of Parandur in Kancheepuram district as the site. The decision came after more than a decade of deliberations, delays, and growing recognition of the city’s pressing need for improved air connectivity. Tasked with overseeing the project, the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has been navigating the intricate procedural landscape.
If everything goes to plan, construction will begin in early 2026 and operations will likely commence by late 2028 or early 2029. Notably, this new airport is not intended to replace the Meenambakkam airport, but to function alongside it, enhancing Chennai’s overall capacity.
Planned in four phases, the Parandur airport will feature three midfield terminals, two parallel runways, and a handling capacity of 100 million passengers a year. The first phase alone will cost ₹11,445.54 crore, while the total project cost is estimated at ₹27,400 crore. In the initial phase, the terminal will sprawl over 3,51,380 square metres and be capable of handling Code 4F aircraft, in keeping with global aviation trends.
Constructing an airport of this size is no simple feat. It involves a labyrinth of approvals, environmental assessments, design clearance, and bidding procedures. In the past three years, there had been an intense scrutiny of the project by Union government agencies. In line with the Greenfield Airports Policy of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the TIDCO secured site clearance in August 2024, followed by in-principle approval in April 2025.
To meet the ambitious construction timeline, the TIDCO is finalising a comprehensive tender document. However, according to protocol, the tender cannot be issued until it is cleared by the MoCA, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). This process, which is expected to take four months, will pave the way for the bidding to begin by late 2025.
In a recent high-level meeting attended by key stakeholders, including the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the NITI Aayog, the AAI, the AERA, the India Meteorological Department, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Defence, the project received the broad approval. However, several caveats were raised. The DGCA flagged the need to address obstructions such as chimneys, waterbodies, and rail lines. The risk of waterlogging, a major concern for the flood-prone region (as evident from the last monsoon), was also discussed. The TIDCO has agreed to implement mitigation measures.
Compensation for AAI
Another complex issue is the compensation for the AAI. Because the Parandur site lies within the 150-km radius of the existing airport, Tamil Nadu is obligated to compensate the AAI until the Meenambakkam airport reaches a traffic volume of 35 million passengers a year. The details of this arrangement are still being negotiated.
The environmental clearance process is also under way. In September 2024, the Ministry of Environment issued the Terms of Reference, mandating the TIDCO to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and formulate an Environmental Management Plan. These studies, which are ongoing, are expected to be completed by late 2025. The final environmental clearance is likely to follow by the year-end, sources indicate.
Meanwhile, the master plan for the airport is nearing completion. Efforts are also being made to design a rehabilitation and compensation package for the residents of approximately 13 villages, including Ekanapuram, that will be affected by land acquisition for the airport. This socio-economic dimension adds a layer of complexity to the implementation of the project.
Passengers’ dissatisfaction with the Chennai airport is no secret. In the Airports Council International’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) ranking, the airport fell from the 56th position in 2023 to the 63rd in 2024, a reflection of deteriorating passenger experience. In stark contrast, the airports in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and even Kannur have received international recognition for excellence in service. Aircraft movements in Chennai are still stuck at the pre-COVID-19 level, hovering at 470-480 per day. While the AAI is accelerating expansion at Meenambakkam, space constraints remain a significant bottleneck. Even with the proposed satellite terminal, capacity expansion will be limited.
“Due to its central location and land limitations, the current airport cannot meet future demands,” says a senior aviation source. “We’re competing with airports that are privately operated, have ample space for expansion, and offer superior amenities. Without comparable infrastructure, Tamil Nadu risks losing its competitive edge and economic opportunities.”
Despite its projected benefits, the Parandur airport project faces strong resistance on environmental and humanitarian grounds. Environmentalists argue that constructing the airport on a site comprising over 26% wetlands will exacerbate flooding risks in Chennai. G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagu Nanbargal, an environmental NGO, has been opposing the project right from the beginning. “Displacing thousands and destroying a fragile ecosystem is not the solution to Chennai’s infrastructure problems. There are alternatives. The OTA land, if acquired from the Defence Ministry, could resolve the existing constraints. A satellite terminal could enhance capacity without causing any environmental damage.” He also questions why the State continues to withhold a crucial hydrogeological report. “The long-term impact on the watershed area could be catastrophic. If this report is made public, it may halt the project.”
On the ground, discontent is palpable. Residents of 13 villages, including Ekanapuram, have been protesting against the land acquisition for over 950 days. Ilango, a resident of Ekanapuram, says, “We’ve been ignored for too long. This project will devastate our livelihood, displace entire communities, and destroy natural waterbodies. We are preparing to challenge this in court.”
The missing connectivity
For Parandur to succeed, connectivity will be the key. The new airport’s location, 70 km from central Chennai, poses a logistics challenge. Without a semi-high-speed rail system or expressway, travel time might turn out to be frustrating. “Building a world-class terminal is only half the equation,” an industry analyst remarks. “You need seamless, time-efficient connectivity from the city centre and the existing airport. Otherwise the convenience factor will be lost.” The State is reportedly considering integrated transport plans, including expressways and Metro Rail extension, though they are in the planning stage.
As Tamil Nadu forges ahead with the Parandur airport project, it must strike a balance between growth and sustainability. On the one hand, the project is a critical measure to revitalise Chennai’s role in global aviation and stimulate economic development. On the other are issues centring around environmental conservation and social justice.
Critics of the project, including Mr. Sundarrajan, argue that the State should consider building regional airports in Tiruchi, Coimbatore, and Madurai to reduce the pressure on Chennai and promote balanced development. This would fit in with the Dravidian model of governance, he says.
In its current form, the Parandur project holds promise as well as problems. The key aspect is that its implementation must be rooted in transparency and inclusiveness, and Parandur is a test case to see whether development and social justice can go hand in hand.
There is no doubt that whenever it is completed, the airport will be a landmark achievement in infrastructure upgrade in modern India, but activists caution that the concerns of stakeholders and environmental realities should be considered; otherwise, it will become a contentious chapter in the State’s history.
Published – April 12, 2025 11:15 pm IST
