Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay says the state is dropping the planned greenfield airport at Parandur, near Chennai. Vijay frames the decision as support for local protesters who opposed the project, citing environmental concerns and potential risks to agricultural land.
The airport plan has become a political flashpoint between Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the opposition DMK, which lost the recent state election. The TVK government says it had reviewed the proposed site after taking office, including work aimed at considering alternatives that could protect waterbodies and fertile land. Vijay had also campaigned against the airport before the election.
The DMK says the issue involves transparency over how the project was handled during its prior tenure. Opposition leaders publicly press Vijay to “open” or disclose relevant files, and they indicate they may move a privilege motion in the assembly if the information is not provided within a stated timeframe. The dispute therefore continues to run on both the policy decision and the political questions surrounding it.
