Chennai: In a major policy decision, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has announced that the proposed Parandur Greenfield Airport project has been dropped. Instead, the state government will identify a new location for Chennai's second airport.

Addressing the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Vijay said that while Chennai urgently needs a new international airport to support the city's growing passenger traffic, industrial expansion, and cargo movement, the project should not come at the cost of farmers' livelihoods and fertile agricultural land.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed his support for the people of Parandur and the 12 surrounding villages, who have been protesting the project for years. Recalling his visit to the villages in January 2025, Vijay said he had promised residents that their concerns would be heard and that the government would reconsider the project.

He stated that after detailed consultations with officials and experts, the government has decided to abandon the Parandur site and search for an alternative location where the impact on agricultural land and residential areas will be minimal.

However, the decision has sparked political debate. DMK MLA Thangam Thennarasu argued that Parandur had been selected only after extensive technical studies, including the feasibility of developing two runways. He warned that cancelling the project could negatively affect Tamil Nadu's economy and push future investments towards neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The Parandur airport proposal had remained controversial due to concerns over large scale land acquisition, with farmers and local residents consistently opposing the project over fears of displacement and loss of agricultural land.

The state government is now expected to begin the process of identifying a new location for Chennai's second airport while balancing infrastructure development with the protection of people's livelihoods.