Regarding the upcoming airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu Minister for Public works, Highways and Minor ports, E V Velu said that people who are displaced from their land will be given financial compensation nearly three-and-a-half times more than what their land was worth. The minister was speaking at a press conference on Friday, August 26.
“Some of the villagers wanted the runway to be shifted and we have told them (the villagers) that we will discuss this with the officials. Thiruporur and Pattalam were considered for the second airport but rejected because of their proximity to the Kalpakkam atomic station and Tambaram Air Force station. A second airport is the need of the hour for Chennai,” the Minister said. Parandur was chosen over Pannur, a village in Tiruvallur district, since the former has less habitation and houses than the latter, the Minister said.
Further, Velu stated that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was clear that farmers should not be affected by the construction of the airport. However, the Minister also added that there is no other way to bring about such projects without taking agricultural land. He said, “We will give land for people who will be displaced and we will also give money for them to construct their houses. We do not want to harass farmers or trouble them. We will fulfill the demands of the people before we take over their lands.” He added that people from thirteen villages surrounding the newly constructed airport will also get jobs.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) Vijay Kumar Singh on August 1, said that Chennai’s second airport will be located in Parandur while responding to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu. The distance between Chennai 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 up to 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.
Watch: Chennai’s second airport leaves Parandur residents anxious over their fate