Parandur is out. The second airport is not. And Vijay has made it clear that development will now have to negotiate with the farmer, rather than simply bulldozing past him!
AUGUST 24: In a dramatic policy reversal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has officially announced the scrapping of the controversial Parandur greenfield airport project, ending years of uncertainty and fierce resistance from farmers and residents in the Kancheepuram region.
Making the announcement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Vijay said his government remains committed to building a second airport for Chennai, but not at the cost of farmers, agricultural land, water bodies or local livelihoods. A new location will now be identified. Possible alternatives include sites around Hosur and Chengalpattu.
The ₹27,400-crore Parandur project had faced sustained protests over land acquisition and its potential impact on wetlands and farming communities. Nearly 1,700 acres of private land had reportedly been acquired, while the larger proposed airport footprint extended to thousands of acres.
The controversy over the site’s technical suitability has added another layer. State ministers had claimed that the presence of hundreds of water bodies posed serious problems, although official records previously indicated that the Airports Authority of India had selected Parandur as its preferred site after technical evaluation.
Vijay also announced the Annapooranai Super Six welfare scheme, under which eligible families will receive LPG support from Pongal, with the government transferring the benefit directly into bank accounts.
Parandur is out. The second airport is not. And Vijay has made it clear that development will now have to negotiate with the farmer, rather than simply bulldozing past him!
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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