Parandur airport project to be dropped by Tamil Nadu government, announces CM Vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday (August 24, 2026) introduced his authorities’s resolution to drop the proposed airport at Parandur and establish different websites for a brand new Chennai airport. Making a suo motu assertion within the Meeting, he stated a brand new terminal, Terminal 5, could be developed within the north-western space of Chennai airport in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), together with an method highway and a flyover.

The principle Opposition DMK sought to sepeak on the problem, however Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar stated he wouldn’t permit a debate on an announcement made beneath Rule 110 of the Meeting. Former Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu stated he was not in search of to debate the problem however needed to make a clarification. The DMK members walked out after the Speaker stood his floor.

The Chief Minister stated he had consulted consultants on the creation of a brand new airport and some different websites had been recognized with out inflicting a lot harm to farmland and human settlements.

“The positioning might be finalised after finding out the technical feasibility and consulting the departments involved,” he stated, recalling his go to to Parandur in 2025 to precise solidarity with the protesting farmers and his earlier announcement at Vikravandi opposing the airport undertaking.

He stated Chennai airport was at present dealing with 30 million passengers a yr and that the capability would enhance to 35 million as soon as Terminal 3 was accomplished. “After the completion of Terminal 5, the passenger capability will enhance by one other 55 million a yr. It’s going to enhance the companies and transport amenities till a brand new airport is accomplished,” he stated.

The Chief Minister stated he was totally conscious of the position of airports in industrial improvement however maintained that an airport shouldn’t be constructed at Parandur as it will have an effect on huge tracts of farmland and human settlements. “However the earlier authorities tried to create a brand new airport at the price of farmers, their lands and human settlements,” he stated.