Chennai's Second Airport: TIDCO to Issue Tenders for Rs 20,000 Crore Project at Parandur

The Tamil Nadu government is set to initiate the tender process for Chennai’s second airport by the end of next year, with the project estimated to cost over Rs 20,000 crore. An official from the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) confirmed the progress of the Parandur project, which is poised to significantly enhance the region's aviation infrastructure.

Site clearance for the new greenfield airport is anticipated once the model code of conduct for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections concludes. Under the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008, obtaining site clearance from the steering committee is a critical step. The state is also awaiting in-principle approval from the central government and environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. A high-level committee has assessed hydrogeological and related issues, with their recommendations set to be implemented as necessary.

Land acquisition for the project, which requires a total of 4,563.56 acres across 13 villages, is currently in progress and expected to take about a year. This includes 3,246.38 acres of patta land, classified as nanjai (wetland) and punjai (rain-fed land), along with 1,317.18 acres of government poramboke land. Compensation is being offered at 3.5 times the market value for lands in the affected villages in Kancheepuram district, in line with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the new airport, located roughly 15 km northeast of Kanchipuram, a significant Hindu pilgrimage site. Planned with a capacity to handle 100 million passengers annually, the Parandur Greenfield Airport is expected to be completed by 2028. Chief Minister Stalin also noted that both the current Meenambakkam airport and the new Parandur airport would operate simultaneously to cater to the increasing demand in the civil aviation sector.