Tamil Nadu has moved quickly to identify a new location for Chennai’s second airport, with the state government shortlisting two sites just days after scrapping the controversial Parandur greenfield airport project.
The government had earlier announced that it would drop the Parandur project and look for an alternative site, citing concerns over water bodies, wetlands, flooding and local opposition.
Of the 1,972 acres of government land, 1,558 acres consisted of water bodies and canals, he said. Only around 1,802 acres, or 48 per cent of the required land, had been acquired so far. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had earlier said nearly 55 per cent of the land earmarked for the Parandur airport consisted of water bodies and wetlands, making runway operations unsafe and increasing the risk of severe flooding.
Land acquisition had not begun in several villages, including Ekanapuram, Karai, Thandalam and Siruvalur, the minister said. Vijay said the government was not against development but would pursue an alternative location for Chennai’s second airport that would be technically feasible and face no public opposition. Defending the decision in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday, Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar accused the previous DMK government of pursuing land acquisition without an environmental impact assessment and the necessary approvals.
Opposition attacks decision
Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna alleged that the Parandur project involved a major real estate scam and said the TVK government was committed to fighting corruption.
