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Sites chosen for Hosur airport amid protests against another Tamil Nadu airport
A state government official said they were finalising a consultant to conduct a survey in Hosur to identify the airspace around which obstacles are not allowed
The Tamil Nadu government has shortlisted two sites for an Airport Authority of India survey for a new airport in Hosur, even as residents have been protesting against the proposed greenfield airport in Parandur, around 250 km away, citing environmental concerns, particularly related to wetlands spread over 2,605 acres.
The two new international airports are among major infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government believes are key to making the state a one trillion dollar economy by 2030 and the best destination for investments in Asia.
People aware of the matter said that one of the proposed sites for the airport in Hosur, an industrial town about 85 km from Bengaluru in the Krishnagiri district, is near the Taneja Aviation and Aerospace Limited in Belagondapalli, and another is near Shoolagiri. The airport is proposed to span over 2,000 acres of land, with a capacity to handle 30 million passengers annually.
A state government official said they were finalising a consultant to conduct an Obstacle Limitation Surface survey in Hosur to identify the airspace around which obstacles are not allowed. “Two locations have been finalised,” he said, requesting anonymity.
The Hosur airport cannot come up within 150 km of the Kempegowda International Airport based on the Bengaluru International Airport Limited’s agreement with the Union government until 2033.
Tamil Nadu, which is known for its rich cultural heritage and industrial development, has international airports in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchirapalli.
On April 7, the civil aviation ministry granted an in principle approval for the Parandur airport in the Chengalpattu district, proposed to be built for ₹20,000 crore, with a capacity to handle 100 million passengers annually by 2030. The project will impact 13 villages in Parandur, about 70 km from Chennai, and requires the acquisition of 4,791.29 acres of land, of which 2,605 acres are wetlands.
Environmental engineer and activist Prabhakaran Veeraarasu said the Tamil Nadu government should consider the people’s demands and abandon the project. “The government has to also make the Machendranathan report [submitted last year] on the flooding issues public,” he said
Machendranathan, a retired Indian Administrative Service officer, led a panel that submitted the hydrological report last year.
On April 20, the residents appealed to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) against backing the extension of phase four of the Chennai Metro Rail project for connecting the state capital to Parandur. The project is part of the airport infrastructure.
Residents cited media reports suggesting AIIB is considering supporting these projects, which they believe pose significant risks to communities and the environment. They said they have been protesting peacefully since 2022 when the project was announced. The residents boycotted last year’s Lok Sabha elections. They met the district collector in Chittoor in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, with a petition to allow them to live there as refugees to “shame Tamil Nadu”.
