No decision yet on repurposing Parandur land, Revenue official

CHENNAI: After announcing the scrapping of the greenfield airport project at Parandur, the State government has yet to finalise an alternative use for the nearly 1,700 acres of land acquired for the project. 

An official from the Land Acquisition wing said the government has not yet made any decision on repurposing the land. He said the decision on the future use of the land was a policy matter that had to be taken at the Chief Ministerial level. He also confirmed that no decision has been made or communicated to the department so far. However, sources in the Industries Department have said the land could be utilised for industrial purposes, especially for non-polluting industries. 

The proposed second airport for Chennai was planned on 5,746 acres of land at Parandur, about 70 km from Chennai. Of the total land required, around 2,500 acres comprised private land, while the remaining belonged to the government.

Ever since Parandur was announced as the site, the project had drawn protests from the residents of Ekanapuram and neighbouring villages, over concerns about displacement and the loss of agricultural land. Supporting the protests during the DMK-led regime, TVK leader C Joseph Vijay had promised that if his party came to power, the airport project would be scrapped.

And earlier last week, he announced the project scrapped.
State ministers have refuted the DMK’s claim that around 90% of the land required for the project had been acquired, putting it at 48%.

Ever since Parandur was announced as the site, the project had drawn protests from the residents of Ekanapuram and neighbouring villages, over concerns about displacement and the loss of agricultural land. Supporting the protests during the DMK-led regime, TVK leader C Joseph Vijay had promised that if his party came to power, the airport project would be scrapped.

And earlier last week, he announced the project scrapped.

State ministers have refuted the DMK’s claim that around 90% of the land required for the project had been acquired, putting it at 48%.