Farmers to gherao Assembly on April 15 if Parandur airport project is not dropped

CPI(M) leader warns Tamil Nadu government against airport construction at Parandur, farmers threaten Assembly gherao on April 15.

CPI(M) leader and State president of the All India Kisan Sabha P. Shanmugam on Sunday (February 23, 2025) said that if the Tamil Nadu government did not give up its proposal to construct an airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district, farmers would gherao the Assembly on April 15.

Addressing a meeting of farmers from in and around Parandur, who are likely to be affected by the airport project, he reminded the ruling DMK of its poll promise of not using agricultural lands for development projects without the consent of farmers. He urged the government to release the report of an expert committee formed to study the feasibility of the airport project.

Former Madras High Court Judge Hari Parandaman said that instead of constructing a new airport near Chennai, the government should ensure that the existing one at Meenambakkam in the city was utilised to its capacity. The Officers Training Academy could also be acquired to expand the airport, he added.

If a large airport were to come up at Parandur, it would automatically lead to airports in Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchi remaining underdeveloped. He referred to the projects that were given up owing to objections from residents, and called for shelving this proposal as well. 

Environmental activist Poovulagu Sundar said there was no need for a second airport for Chennai as the chosen location would only lead to increased flooding in the surroundings and Chennai city. “Already, with rising global temperatures, Chennai is the hottest mega city. Further developments would result in increased warming. The government should consider developing smaller airports at Tiruchi, Coimbatore and Madurai so that people need not travel all the way to Chennai to fly to international destinations,” he added. 

Water management expert S. Janakarajan indicated that though the number of waterbodies falling within the delineated area for the proposed airport was reportedly 11, local people were stating that this number was much higher. Nevertheless, encroachment of many waterbodies would have serious hydrological implications in the region, more so downstream, particularly Chennai.