{
  "id": 2983161,
  "title": "Vijay Government Scraps Parandur Airport Project, Plans To Identify Alternative Site",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/vijay-government-scraps-parandur-airport-project-plans-to-identify",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-24T08:16:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/vijay-government-scraps-parandur-airport-project-plans-to-identify-alternative-site"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay declared on Monday that his state will abandon the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur and instead seek a new site with minimal impact on farmers and residents. The decision came after concerns about the project's potential effects on agricultural lands, water bodies, and residential areas in Parandur and surrounding villages. While acknowledging the need for a second airport to accommodate Chennai's rapid urban growth and increased passenger and cargo traffic, CM Vijay emphasized that such a major infrastructure project should not jeopardize farmers' livelihoods or cause large-scale displacement of residents. The incumbent Chennai airport at Meenambakkam, run by the Airports Authority of India, currently handles around 30 million passengers annually. The previous administration faced criticism for moving forward with the Parandur project despite persistent opposition from local residents. CM Vijay had personally visited Ekanapuram and nearby villages on January 20, 2025, to listen to protesters against the land acquisition for the airport. He had also voiced his opposition to the project during a meeting in Vikravandi in October 2024. The current government affirmed its commitment to industrial growth and improved aviation infrastructure while asserting that Parandur was not suitable for the airport. The decision to abandon the Parandur project will be implemented as promised, the CM informed the Legislative Assembly. Following this announcement, the state government will collaborate with the Airports Authority of India to enhance the capacity of Meenambakkam airport. A new Terminal 5 is planned for the airport's northwestern section, along with additional roads and flyovers to improve access. The ongoing construction of Terminal 3 is expected to boost the airport's annual passenger handling capacity to 35 million, with Terminal 5 potentially adding another 20 million passengers annually, bringing the total to 55 million passengers.",
  "summary": "Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday announced that the state government would abandon the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur and identify an alternative site that would cause minimal disruption to farmers and residents. BIG BREAKING: பரந்தூரில் புதிய விமான நிலையம் அமைக்கும் திட்டத்தை கைவிடுவதாக முதலமைச்சர் ஜோசப் விஜய் அறிவிப்பு. Chief Minister Joseph Vijay…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}