Tamil Nadu scraps Parandur airport project

On August 24, 2026, India — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay announced in the state assembly that his India — Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government would abandon the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur in India — Kanchipuram district. The project, initially announced by former Chief Minister M. K. Stalin in August 2022, was estimated to cost around Rs 20,000-27,000 crore and designed to handle up to 100 million passengers annually. Vijay cited the project's impact on fertile agricultural land, water bodies, and the livelihoods of farmers and residents across 12 villages as the primary reasons for scrapping it. He stated that the government would identify an alternative site with minimal disruption to agriculture and residences, and would expand the existing Chennai International Airport at Meenambakkam to increase capacity from 30 million to 55 million passengers per year through new terminals. The decision fulfilled a pre-election promise Vijay made to protesting villagers in January 2025. The opposition India — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by M. K. Stalin, criticized the move, arguing it would set back the state's development, hurt industrial growth, and push industries toward India — Andhra Pradesh. DMK MLAs staged a walkout in the assembly after Speaker T. Prabhakar Rao denied them permission to debate the announcement. The project had faced over 900 days of protests from local residents and environmentalists concerned about ecological damage and flood risks. The government plans to conduct technical feasibility studies for alternative sites.