Former Tamil Nadu minister and DMK MLA Thangam Thennarasu on Monday criticised Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s decision to abandon the proposed Parandur Greenfield Airport project, warning that scrapping it for political reasons could cause economic damage to the state and prompt industries to shift to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking to reporters, Thennarasu said all possibilities, including the construction of two runways, had been studied before Parandur was selected as the site for the proposed airport.
“Possibilities for setting up two runways were all studied and only then Parandur was selected,” he said.
Thennarasu said former Chief Minister MK Stalin had indicated that work on the Parandur airport project would be dropped, but the Tamil Nadu government had not conveyed any such decision to the Centre.
He also said compensation had already been paid to people whose land was acquired for the project.
“As per the Land Acquisition Act, the land acquired should be used only for the purpose for which it was acquired,” Thennarasu said.
Arguing that Parandur remained the most suitable location for the proposed airport, he warned that scrapping the project could have wider economic consequences.
“It would be best to have the airport at Parandur. Dropping the Parandur Airport project for political reasons will cause economic damage,” he said.
Thennarasu further warned that several industries could move to Andhra Pradesh if the project was abandoned.
“Many industries will move towards Andhra Pradesh. We have already lost the Hosur Airport,” he said.
Meanwhile, DMK members staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu Assembly after alleging that they were denied an opportunity to speak in the House about the Parandur airport project.
The remarks came after Chief Minister Joseph Vijay announced in the Assembly that his government would abandon steps taken to establish the proposed airport at Parandur, citing concerns over agricultural land and the livelihoods of farmers and residents.
Vijay said Chennai’s Meenambakkam airport, operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), currently has the capacity to handle 30 million passengers annually. He said a new airport was necessary in view of the city’s growing requirements, industrial development and increasing cargo movement.
However, he said the new airport should be located at a site where agricultural land and residential areas would be minimally affected.
The Chief Minister said he had visited Eganapuram and other villages on January 20, 2025, and heard the grievances of residents protesting against the proposed airport at Parandur and surrounding villages.
“I stand firmly with the people protesting against the airport to be established in Chennai’s Parandur and 12 surrounding villages,” he said.
Vijay described farmers as the backbone of the country and expressed support for those protesting to protect their agricultural land.
He said he had opposed the Parandur airport project at a public meeting in Vikravandi in October 2024, while stressing that he supported industrial development and the role of airports in facilitating it.
“However, this project should not be located in Parandur. The government must reconsider this project,” he said, adding that an alternative site should be identified where the impact on agricultural land and people’s livelihoods would be minimal.
Vijay said detailed consultations had been held with senior officials and experts on the establishment of a new airport.
“To fulfil the promise I made to the people that day... the steps taken to establish a new airport in Parandur will be abandoned by this government,” the Chief Minister said.
In April 2025, the Civil Aviation Ministry had granted ‘in-principle’ approval for the establishment of an international greenfield airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district.
(With inputs from ANI)