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'Irreversible setback': Stalin slams CM Vijay over dropping plan to build 2nd Chennai airport at Parandur
Dropping Parandur airport project is not change, MK Stalin said on Monday, criticising CM Vijay's decision to drop the proposed plan.
Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin on Monday criticised CM C Joseph Vijay's decision to drop the proposal to build Chennai's second airport in Parandur, describing the move as an irreversible setback.
“Dropping Parandur airport project is not change, it's an irreversible setback for Tamil Nadu's growth,” Stalin said in a post on X.
He added that scrapping the project would set Tamil Nadu’s development back by several years, stressing that the state’s interests should not be compromised for narrow political gains.
He also called the announcement, which was made without opportunity for “debate” or discussion, “deeply troubling.”
“An announcement of such far-reaching importance being made under Rule No. 110, shutting out any opportunity for debate or even for members to voice their views, is deeply troubling.”
Stalin stressed that Tamil Nadu is a national leader across several sectors, including electronics exports and automobile manufacturing. Hence, he said, making a world-class airport in the state capital not just desirable but essential.
“Rejecting such a vital project is not change. It is a massive disappointment,” he said.
He added that the Parandur site had been carefully selected after assessing all available alternatives and that the land acquisition process was almost complete and warned that starting the process afresh would delay the project significantly.
“The site was carefully selected after evaluating all available alternatives, and the land acquisition process has been almost completed. With several stages of preparatory work and approvals already completed, we had drawn up plans to ensure that construction could begin at a rapid pace once we returned to office.”
“If the new government now starts all over again, identifies another location and goes through the entire process before work can even begin, Tamil Nadu’s growth trajectory itself will DROP.”
What triggered his comments
His comments come after CM Vijay announced scrapping of the second Chennai airport project in Kancheepuram's Parandur, about 60km west of Tamil Nadu's capital, with an estimated cost of ₹20,000 crore and an annual capacity of 100 million passengers.
The land in Parandur was believed to be unsuitable for runways because of water bodies. Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government has said it accords top priority to the environment.
The proposed airport triggered protests, with residents maintaining the greenfield project would affect their livelihood as paddy is grown on land proposed for it.
‘Should not affect farmers’
Vijay stressed that the proposed new airport should not cause large-scale disruption to farmers or displace a significant number of people. He said the location proposed by the previous government would have severely affected farmers and displaced a large number of residents.
Vijay recalled visiting Parandur in 2025 and listening to the grievances of local people. “I firmly stood with them against the airport proposed to be set up at Parandur and the surrounding 12 villages,” he said. “I had expressed my support to the farmers who have been protesting against this project. Farmers are the backbone of the nation, and these people were protesting to protect their agricultural lands,” Vijay said.
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While acknowledging the importance of industrial development and the role airports play in economic progress, Vijay said he fully supported development but opposed locating the new Chennai airport at Parandur. “The government will select an alternative site that minimises the damage to agricultural land and does not affect people's livelihoods,” he said.
Vijay promises alternative sites for airport
Vijay promised that suitable alternative sites would be considered for establishing the new airport. He said the existing airport at Meenambakkam has the capacity to handle 30 million passengers annually, but cited the city's growing needs, passenger convenience, industrial development and the increasing demand for cargo transportation as reasons for a new airport.
Vijay told the state assembly that the Chennai airport in Meenambakkam will be expanded with a new passenger terminal, capable of handling an additional 20 million passengers annually. He added there would be more access roads and flyovers.
"After the ongoing construction work of Passenger Terminal 3 at Chennai [Meenambakkam] airport is completed, it will be capable of handling 35 million passengers annually," he said. "After the new Terminal 5 comes into operation, this airport will have a total handling capacity of 55 million passengers per year."
Oppn walks out
Vijay's decision drew opposition from the DMK, which staged a walk-out in protest. The Opposition party had demanded a discussion on the Parandur airport in the Assembly, but the Speaker declined to allow it.
(With inputs from S Vijay Karthik)
