Build Chennai airport at approved Parandur site or find alternative: BJP to TVK Govt
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Build Chennai airport at approved Parandur site or find alternative: BJP to TVK Govt")
A render of the proposed airport at the Parandur site, about 70 km from Chennai.
The BJP urged the TVK government to respect the runway clearances already granted and immediately proceed with the Parandur project or present a truly superior alternative without further delay and public money wastage.
The Centre-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has countered the stance of Tamil Nadu’s Energy Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar, who stated that the Parandur site chosen for Chennai’s second airport is unsuitable for constructing a runway. The BJP dismissed the State Minister’s stance as “factually incorrect, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the people of Tamil Nadu”. Uncertainty has been growing in Tamil Nadu over whether the state capital Chennai would get a second airport, given that the incumbent Chief Minister Vijay had firmly opposed the project during his election campaign over the last two years. Industry bodies in Tamil Nadu are keen that the capital city gets a new airport, just like its peer Southern Indian metro cities Bengaluru, Hyderabad.
In a speech, Tamil Nadu’s Energy Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar is seen saying that he had met the protesters who were opposed to the Parandur airport project about four years ago.
He elaborated that the airport site was about 4,000 acres, of which around 900 acres were water bodies. He also stated that the region received good water supply for 10 months in a year and paddy was cultivated in many cycles a year at the proposed airport site.
“When we checked with few people working with the civil (aviation) and airport authorities, they said we will not be able to develop runway on this land,” Minister Nirmal claimed, adding that alternative sites for the airport are available in and around Chennai.
“When you want to disturb environment and water bodies, we are not for it. We are not against growth also. When you ask which is the priority, environment is first priority,” he is seen mentioning in the video.
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BJP’s counter to the TVK Government in Tamil Nadu
Narayanan Thirupathy, the BJP’s Chief Spokesperson for Tamil Nadu, highlighted that the Parandur site for Chennai’s new airport was pushed forward by the earlier DMK government, which also acquired thousands of acres of land. He added that the Central Government entity Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) pre-feasibility study confirmed the Parandur site’s suitability, including for dual runways of 4040m x 45m, with proper orientation matching Chennai airport traffic. He further said that India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation had granted site clearance in July 2024 and in-principle approval in 2025 after multi-agency scrutiny by AAI, Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA), Ministry of Defence, and others.
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Referring to environmental concerns regarding the new the airport site, BJP said water bodies (approx. 26.5% of the site per official records) were known, assessed, and expert committees recommended mitigation measures including diversion, conservation, and advanced engineering for stable runway foundation. Runway construction on challenging terrain is standard in modern aviation with proven techniques like soil stabilization and drainage systems
The TVK government is suddenly declaring the same runway “impossible” — this is a clear political U-turn to appease their leader’s protest history, not a genuine technical concern.
“Minister Nirmal Kumar’s statement is a shameful excuse that exposes their anti-development agenda. This will deny thousands of jobs, cripple economic growth, and leave Chennai’s aviation congestion unresolved for years,” said the BJP.
Further, the BJP urged the TVK government to respect the runway clearances already granted and immediately proceed with the Parandur project or present a truly superior alternative without further delay and public money wastage.
What industry bodies say about the second airport...
Industry bodies such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) are of the view that Tamil Nadu can significantly boost its economic potential, when the capital city Chennai gets a second airport. Airports serve as a gateway to a region and they create the first impression on visitors. In Chennai's case, it is widely regarded that the city's lone airport is a major limiting factor. The city-based Chennai airport was established in the 1950s. As it has undergone multiple expansions and upgradations over the decades, the scope for further expansion in a highly urbanised region is very limited.
From handling greater volume of passengers and cargo, to accommodating large long-haul aircraft like the double-decker Airbus A380 and improving international connectivity, a new airport can potentially improve the appeal and economic activity of Chennai and its adjoining districts, it is widely regarded.
