The Tamil Nadu government is likely to complete land acquisition for Chennai's proposed greenfield airport in Parandur, a project that has stirred controversy and hype in equal measure, by the end of this year. Sources close to the development have told ET Now that that the state has fast-tracked its land acquisition roadmap and is on track to complete purchasing 3,774 acres from private landowners and 1,972 acres of government land by December."The aim is to begin construction by early-to-mid-2026 and complete phase one of the proposed greenfield airport in two years," said a top government official.If successful, Chennai's proposed greenfield airport in Parandur could see construction begin ahead of Tamil Nadu's assembly elections next year and hope for its first phase to turn operational by 2028. "This phase will have a capacity of 20 million air passengers," the source added.Chennai has had a new airport on its wish-list for the longest time now. The urgency has manifested multifold as the city's air passenger traffic is projected to hit 40 million by 2035, which is double the capacity at its existing airport within the city.However, the project has turned controversial owing to social and environmental activists criticizing the government's proposal to build it at Parandur, a tiny hamlet, 70 kilometres outside Chennai. Local farmers have protested its proposed construction too, citing loss of livelihood should the project be executed.Experts have cautioned that building infrastructure on the region’s eco-sensitive water bodies could disrupt the town’s ecology and lead to devastating consequences during floods and other natural disasters.Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including the AIADMK and actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay's TVK have also called for a re-think on the airport's proposed construction. "I am not against development, but I oppose this airport if it comes at the cost of nature,” said at a politically rally earlier this year.Rs 35 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore for an acreWhether the proposed airport takes off or not, the government's compensation for landowners is bound to turn a few heads. The state has offered anywhere between Rs 35 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore per acre to land-owners in the town, with plots nearer to arterial roads being valued higher.Official records suggest that 17.52 acres belonging to 19 landowners have already changed hands with approximately Rs 9.2 crore credited to owners' bank accounts, as of July 9. However, with thousands of acres yet to see acquisition, many agree that the government has its work cut out.What will be more challenging, however, is the conviction to convince owners to sell especially in the face of political and activist-led opposition to the proposed project.
EXCLUSIVE | Land acquisition for Chennai's new greenfield airport in Parandur may be completed by year-end, say sources
