Tamil Nadu govt. shortlists Cheyyur, Gummidipoondi sites to build Chennai’s second airport; writes to AAI for pre-feasibility study

In a significant development, the Tamil Nadu government has shortlisted two sites for Chennai’s second airport and has asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to conduct a pre-feasibility study. The move comes nearly a week after Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced that the State government will drop the greenfield airport project planned at Parandur and will look for alternative sites. 

The Hindu was the first to report that two sites—Cheyyur and Gummidipoondi—are the top contenders for the project. It is now learnt that the State government has asked AAI to study Cheyyur in Chengalpattu district and Manellore, near Gummidipoondi, in Tiruvallur district. Sources said that a final decision will be taken after the AAI gives its recommendation in the pre-feasibility report.

A team from Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has already completed the first round of inspections for both the sites.

Sources said the Cheyyur site is about 40 km from the Puducherry airport and nearly 35 km from Kalpakkam. It is also nearly 100 km from the existing airport at Meenambakkam. The Manellore site is about 50 km from the city and 35 km from Sriharikota.

Sources said that even if AAI recommend one of the two sites, there could be some difficulty in getting the remaining approvals from various regulatory bodies, given the location of both sites. “While there is possibility for Cheyyur, provided the Ministry of Defence gives clearance, since the Indian Air Force, Tambaram, controls the airspace in the region. But Manellore in Gummidipoondi has some challenges,” a source said.

As the next step, a team of AAI officials will visit both sites and carry out an inspection, after which the report will be drafted. It is expected that AAI will submit the report in a few months. “The State government wants to start the process on the second airport soon. It will help if AAI speeds up and gives the report at the earliest,” another source said. 

But another source pointed out that even if the State government wants to build the second airport soon, it may have to wait for a minimum of 5-7 years to make this project a reality.