In a significant development, the State government is likely to accord administrative sanction for the second airport that is to come up at Parandur, near Chennai, within the next two weeks. This will set in motion important processes such as land acquisition and finalising the airport’s boundary, sources said.
Parandur was selected as the site where the city will get its second airport, and currently, 4,791 acres of land has been allocated for the project by the State government. The identified site is situated nearly 60 km from the Meenambakkam airport.
“If administrative sanction comes, the State government can begin the most important work of acquiring the land required for this project. There shouldn’t be any delay for this second airport, because if it starts now and if all the processes go according to the schedule and approvals come on time, then it is possible to make it a reality in the next seven years,” a source said.
The work on the detailed techno-economic report that started about four months ago is also underway, and consultant Louis Berger may complete it in another few months, sources said. Traffic survey, obstacle limitation surface study, financial model, social impact study, and environment impact assessment – the report will be all-encompassing and in-depth to aid in construction of the project. The report aside, the consultant will have to put together a detailed master plan as well for the project.
Meanwhile, farmers and residents of villages in and around Parandur and activists have been raising their voices against the project fearing that there could be flooding and other environmental issues. Simultaneously, the high-level committee chosen by the State government too has been finalising the hydrogeological report, which will suggest ways to carry out the project without damaging the environment.
