CREDAI Chennai Welcomes End of Uncertainty on Parandur, Urges Time-Bound Selection of Alternative Site for Chennai’s Second Airport

Chennai : CREDAI Chennai has taken note of Hon’ble Chief Minister Thiru Joseph Vijay’s announcement in the Assembly today that the government will not proceed with the greenfield airport at Parandur, and that an alternative site will now be identified for Chennai’s second airport.

While CREDAI Chennai respects the government’s position and its sensitivity to the concerns of farmers, CREDAI Chennai views this as a setback that further delays Chennai’s quest for a world-class airport. Any large land acquisition will inevitably face farmer and environmental challenges, but these concerns must be balanced against the state’s development interests.

Connectivity remains central to Chennai’s growth story. However, we have slipped to sixth position in passenger traffic, with Kolkata overtaking us. Peer cities are moving decisively on aviation infrastructure Bengaluru and Hyderabad continue to expand and plan additional airport capacity, while the Delhi-NCR and Mumbai regions have added new airports alongside their existing ones. Chennai has historically competed with these cities for investment, industrial relocation and talent, and sustained momentum on airport infrastructure will be important to protect that competitive position.

One positive outcome of today’s announcement is that the uncertainty has finally been lifted. With Parandur now off the table, CREDAI Chennai urged the government to fast-track the selection and finalisation of an alternative site without delay.

The association also welcomed the interim step of expanding Meenambakkam, including the proposed new terminal capacity, but cautioned that this expansion has severe constraints. CREDAI Chennai urged that the Meenambakkam expansion be treated as a complement to — and not a substitute for a clearly time-lined plan for identifying and developing Chennai’s second airport.