Parandur airport: Delay in finding new site could set Tamil Nadu’s development back by 10 years, says Annamalai

BJP State unit president Nainar Nagenthran harshly criticized the Tamil Nadu government's decision to abandon the Parandur airport project on August 24, 2026. In a social media post, Mr. Nagenthran accused Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of jeopardizing the State's development for political motives. He questioned why the government chose to discontinue the project without first identifying an alternative site or seeking approval from the Centre for a new location.

Mr. Nagenthran pointed out that Parandur had been chosen after thorough studies considering various factors such as passenger traffic, soil conditions, and demand. He argued that starting the search for a new airport site from scratch would be a waste of time, money, and resources. Additionally, Nagenthran raised concerns about the fate of 1,700 acres of land already acquired for the Parandur airport project, seeking clarification on how the government intends to utilize the land and how it will address the concerns of landowners who have surrendered their properties following compensation.