Centre’s nod for Parandur airport came with stringent riders

CHENNAI: The in-principle approval that the Centre granted for the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur is subject to stringent conditions laid down by central agencies and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), including payment of compensation to the AAI if the Parandur airport becomes operational before Chennai airport reaches an annual passenger traffic of 35 million.

The minutes of the March 12 steering committee meeting on greenfield airports, accessed by the civil society group Poovulagin Nanbargal, reveal that the approval is conditional on the State fulfilling several operational, environmental, and land-related obligations.

Among the AAI's key conditions is a requirement that the state must compensate it for the period during which Parandur airport is operational and Chennai airport has not yet reached 35 million passengers annually. The state is expected to provide a formal undertaking to this effect.

The AAI has also requested land near Chennai airport for the construction of a new terminal to accommodate future growth. This involves the transfer of 90 acres currently comprising residential areas and educational institutions adjacent to the cargo zone for expansion purposes.

Notably, the state has agreed in principle to the condition regarding compensation but has yet to formally respond to the demand for land.

The minutes noted that the environmental risks associated with the development of Parandur were discussed at length, particularly concerns about flood-prone zones and water stagnation. The state acknowledged these risks and reported that a high-level committee has been formed to assess drainage re-engineering and canal diversion plans. Preliminary mitigation works have begun based on the committee's recommendations.

According to the minutes, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has raised objections to the scale proposed for Phase I of the Parandur airport, which is designed to handle 20 million passengers annually within 3,51,830 square metres. AERA noted that this exceeds recommended norms and contradicts guidelines set by international bodies such as IATA.

Poovulagin Nanbargal argued that the existing airport continues to operate below its full capacity, and said upgrading it, including the acquisition of 90 acres near the cargo area, would be more prudent than constructing a new airport at Parandur which entails greater displacement and environmental costs.

"Industries Minister told the state assembly that the land acquisition of 300 acres for the Chennai Airport expansion is more expensive than constructing a new airport. But the government is going to spend the same amount on constructing a new Metro Rail line to Parandur. There is no point in constructing a new airport destroying agricultural land and waterbodies, and allowing the Chennai airport to acquire 90 acres of land," it said.

It urged the state to publish the report prepared by the committee headed by retired IAS officer Machendranathan, and criticised the government for not disclosing the findings of this committee even under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

It also sought clarification regarding its position on the transfer of the 90 acres, and called for a reassessment of the Parandur airport project in light of sustained local opposition and environmental concerns.

"These demands indicate that even as Parandur is being planned as a major aviation hub, the Union government considers the augmentation of Chennai airport crucial to the region's air connectivity strategy," Poovulagin Nanbargal said.