Chennai’s second airport: grounded until take-off

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Convenience compromised: Passengers find it painful to walk to the multi-level car park to board the cab at the Meenambakkam airport where phase 2 modernisation is yet to get over. The facilities here are not at all comparable to those at Bengaluru and Hyderabad. | Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

Nearly three decades after the idea to build a second airport for Chennai was first mooted, the Tamil Nadu government finds itself at the drawing board again, hunting for a fresh site, after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government cancelled the Parandur airport project.

Cheyyur and Gummidipoondi were among the 11 locations originally considered when the search for the second airport project began nearly seven to eight years ago. At the moment, it is not clear why these two locations had never made it to the shortlist of four sites — Parandur, Pannur, Thiruporur, and Padalam. Though discussions had been held on Pannur too, it is not clear if it is still in the race.

Also Read | Dropping Parandur airport project an irreversible setback for Tamil Nadu: M.K. Stalin

Sources say that if the Cheyyur site is pursued, the State government may have to get the approval of the Ministry of Defence since the site could fall within the airspace controlled by the Indian Air Force, Tambaram. At Gummidipoondi, the Pulicat Lake is closer to the site, and it remains to be seen how bird movement will or will not affect air traffic. “No decision has yet been taken on the site. The State government will take a decision soon,” a source says. It is learnt that a site inspection is expected to happen anytime.

After finalising the site, the government must request the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to do the pre-feasibility study and give its recommendation. Subsequently, roping in a consultant and applying for the site clearance will start afresh.

After the Sriperumbudur airport project proposed in the mid-2000s was aborted, Parandur came the closest to hosting Chennai’s second airport. Now, all the procedures for building a second airport must begin from scratch.

For the second airport project planned at Parandur in Kancheepuram district on 5,846 acres, the government had completed the acquisition of 1,802 acres, which Industries Minister Keerthana said would be used for industrial purposes.

Since building an airport at any chosen site will take a minimum of five to seven years, the State government has shifted its immediate focus to enhancing the capacity of the existing airport at Meenambakkam by constructing T5 Terminal (near the remote bays and between the main and secondary runways). With the completion of phase 2 modernisation (building of T2 and T3 Terminals), the airport’s capacity will increase to 35 million passengers a year and the handling capacity will further be expanded to 55 million passengers a year on the completion of T5 Terminal.