CHENNAI: The Union Ministry of Defence has once again refused to grant clearance for the proposed Hosur international airport project, citing airspace constraints, dealing a fresh setback to the Tamil Nadu government’s long-pending plan, said a Maalaimalar report.

In an official communication, the Defence Ministry stated that it cannot provide airspace clearance for the proposed airport as the Hosur region falls under the control of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The ministry pointed out that the airspace is primarily reserved for military operations and test flights, which are given priority, making it unfeasible to permit civilian passenger aircraft operations in the area.

The repeated denial has come as a major disappointment to political and industrial circles in Tamil Nadu, where the Hosur airport project has been seen as a key infrastructure initiative to boost regional connectivity and industrial growth.

Meanwhile, even as the project faces rejection at the Centre, opposition on the ground continues to grow. Farmers from 12 villages in the Hosur and Shoolagiri regions have been staging protests against land acquisition for the project. They have declared that they will not part with their agricultural land, raising further challenges for the proposed airport.