Chennai second airport project remains stalled after Parandur cancellation
The state government is awaiting a response from the Airports Authority of India regarding a pre-feasibility study for two alternative locations.
More than 75 days after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced the scrapping of the Parandur airport project, there has been no progress in selecting an alternative site for Chennai's second airport, according to the Deccan Herald.
The Chief Minister cancelled the Parandur project on August 24 due to opposition from residents of Ekanapuram, whose land was to be acquired alongside 11 other villages.
In September, the state government requested the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to conduct a pre-feasibility study on land parcels in Cheyyur in Chengalpattu district and Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district.
The AAI has not yet responded to the request, which has delayed the survey to assess the feasibility of these two locations.
Industry insiders told the Deccan Herald that the AAI may not recommend either site because Gummidipoondi is near the Isro launchpad in Sriharikota and Cheyyur is close to the Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam.
The government is also awaiting a response from the Centre regarding a request to change the operator of Chennai Airport to an entity other than the AAI.