Much-awaited nod: The site for the new airport at Ekanapuram. It will be built on 2,172 hectares and will have two parallel runways.
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Chennai’s second airport at Parandur has finally received the in-principle approval from the Centre, sources aware of the development told The Hindu.
The Tamil Nadu government will soon go ahead and float bids for this project.
On March 28, the Tamil Nadu government was informed that the Steering Committee recommended the project and sent it to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the final approval.
The Parandur project needed a two-stage approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation—the site clearance and the in-principle approval. After the site clearance came through in August 2024, the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) had sent the application in September for the grant of in-principle approval. Seven months after the application was examined and after quite a few queries were raised, the announcement of grant of approval came on Tuesday.
The proposed airport will be nearly 42 km from the existing Chennai airport in Meenambakkam. With three mid-field airport terminal buildings, the Parandur project is estimated to be built at a cost of ₹27,400 crore.
The phase I project cost is ₹11,445 crore and TIDCO targets to begin the construction of the project by January 2026 and finish it in about two years. The total land area identified for this project is 2,172.72 hectares and the proposed airport will be built with two parallel runways.
This airport has been planned for code 4F and future aircraft trend requirements, sources said. The phase I terminal will be spread over an area of 3,51,380 sq.metres.
“Nearly 95% of the tender has been drafted, and a few things have to be finalised. After it is ready, the tenders will have to be sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation as per the procedure. Once they give a go-ahead, it can be floated,” a source said.
Published – April 09, 2025 12:32 am IST
