TIDCO Secures Site Clearance from Centre for Parandur Airport Development.

The greenfield airport at Parandur near Chennai is one step closer to becoming a reality as the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) secures site clearance from the Centre. The Steering Committee on Greenfield Airports recommended granting Site Clearance to TIDCO for developing the airport at Parandur, Kancheepuram District, on July 9, according to Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. This response was given to a query from Tamil Nadu Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament P Wilson.

Under the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008, TIDCO submitted an application to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for Site Clearance to develop the airport approximately 60 km west of Chennai. The proposal underwent examination in consultation with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Ministry of Defence/Indian Air Force, as per the GFA Policy.

Following the consultation process, the proposal was placed before the Steering Committee on Greenfield Airports, which recommended the grant of Site Clearance to TIDCO for the Parandur airport on July 9.

Minister Naidu noted that the responsibility for implementing the airport project, including funding, land acquisition, and resettlement and rehabilitation, rests with TIDCO. An investment of ₹20,000 crore is planned for the greenfield airport at Parandur, which is expected to handle 10 crore passengers annually. The airport will feature two runways, terminal buildings, taxiways, an apron, and a cargo terminal.

Currently, Chennai airport handles around 2.2 crore passengers annually. After ongoing modernization work, it will have the capacity to handle 3.5 crore passengers per year for the next seven years.

The Ministry of Defence has also granted a No Objection for the site clearance, further paving the way for the project's development.

HBL