COIMBATORE: In a bid to boost industrial growth and regional economic development, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has proposed alternate strategies to strengthen air connectivity to Chennai.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of CII's two-day Southern Regional Conference, P Ravichandran, Chairman of CII, Southern Region, emphasised the importance of developing the Parandur airport project. He outlined suggestions for advancing airport development, including a joint venture model with either the Andhra Pradesh or Puducherry governments to establish a new airport facility. He said this would support industrial expansion across southern India, particularly by serving the Nellore Industrial Corridor Project and the industrial corridor along the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry border
"Parandur holds immense potential to address the growing demand for air connectivity. In case of any alterations to the project, the state could develop a new plan for establishing an airport through strategic partnerships with neighbouring states. The conference unveiled an eight-point roadmap for 2026-2027, focusing on infrastructure enhancement and industrial policy reforms, among others.”
C Devarajan, Chairman of CII Tamil Nadu Council, highlighted positive developments following industrialists' recent meeting with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and other ministers. He noted that government clearances are now being processed faster under the new regime. However, he expressed concern over the sudden closure of several mining operations in Tamil Nadu, which has impacted the cost of construction materials.