CHENNAI: The TVK-led government in the state has not made any request to the Centre to relocate the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol has told the Rajya Sabha in a written statement.
He was replying to a question from DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson as to whether the new state government had sought a change in location for the airport, and whether any date-wise details of such a request exists.
On the status of the project itself, the minister said the ministry had granted “in-principle” approval to the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) on April 7, 2025, to develop the international greenfield airport at Parandur.
Based on the in-principle application submitted by TIDCO in September 2024, the estimated project cost for Phase-1 works out to approximately Rs 10,500 crore. Under the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008, responsibility for land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, resource mobilisation and securing environmental clearances rests with the airport developer or the state government.
The timeline for completion, he added, depends on factors including land acquisition. The centre ’s reply comes more than a month after Minister R Nirmalkumar said on June 18 that the TVK government has decided to drop the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur in Kancheepuram district and will look for an alternative place.
When asked about it, a senior state minister said the government has just put the project on hold and would approach the Union government only after identifying the new place.