After years’ long speculations about the site where the second Chennai airport will be located, the union government has finalised the project. Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) Vijay Kumar Singh, on Monday, August 1, said that the airport will be located in Parandur of Kancheepuram district while responding to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu.
The greenfield airport will be located at around 4,971 acres of land identified by the government at Parandur earlier. A ‘greenfield airport’ refers to a new airport in a new location that is built from scratch. The distance between Chennai city to Parandur is around 73 km and the time taken to travel will be 1 hour and 54 minutes. The existing airport in Chennai is currently located in Meenambakkam and has the capacity to handle passenger traffic of upto 150 lakh. The need for another airport came up after passenger traffic touched around 220 lakh. The Parandur airport is located in the southwest direction from Chennai airport and is about 59 km away.
In the question, MP Kanimozhi NVN Somu, had asked about the steps taken by the government to construct a greenfield airport around Chennai; if Rs 61,000 crore has been sanctioned for the same and its details; and if the location is finalised.
In his reply, Minister VK Singh stated that the Tamil Nadu government had identified four potential sites for the development of a new greenfield airport near Chennai and also requested the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to carry out the inspection of sites to find their suitability for airport development. “AAI has found two sites at Parandur and Pannur comparatively more feasible for development of airports. AAI has forwarded the Pre-Feasibility Report to Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) advising it to carry out Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) survey and charting work at the two identified sites. After comparing the viability and feasibility including the presence of habitations and industrial establishments and the land acquisition cost of both the sites, the State Government has shortlisted Parandur site as the location for development of Greenfield airport,” he said and added that the state government is now required to submit a proposal to MoCA for grant of 'Site Clearance' for the finalised site.
According to reports, four sites were proposed for the construction of the airport. They were Cheyyur, Mamandur (Chengalpattu district), Parandur (Kancheepuram district) and Pannur (Tiruvallur district). Earlier on July 27, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu held discussions with Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia regarding the finalisation of the airport.