Indecision holding up Chennai airport project

City Bureau

Need for consensus on the issue among political parties


An aircraft descending over the southern suburbs of Pozhichalur and Gowl Bazaar where local residents' protest against airport expansion plan is finding support from Opposition parties. — File photo

CHENNAI: A new terminal or a greenfield airport? Indecision over this issue is holding up plans for the expansion of the Chennai airport.

Late last year, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel announced that a new package for the development of Chennai and Kolkata airports would be unveiled in three months. There has been no final decision on the shape of the new airport here.

All that Meenambakkam and its environs have seen of late are agitations over the speculated land acquisition for a new airport project.

Enquiries with the Aviation and Airport authorities here reveal that the ball now lies in the State Government's court.

It is up to the administration here to finalise the shape.

Several options


Airport sources point to several options before the State and the Union Aviation Ministry or the Airports Authority of India.

Though the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government was very keen on clinching the airport project early, the land acquisition issue has emerged as a major controversy.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi, an ally of the ruling party, has come out categorically in favour of the agitating people who do not want to lose their land and houses.

Official sources now say that only a consensus among all the political parties on the shape and location of the project can move it forward.

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