📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Survey of India (British India)
Business
Tamil Nadu shortlists Cheyyur, Gummidipoondi for Chennai's second airport
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 04:26 AM
👁 2
The Tamil Nadu government has identified Cheyyur and Gummidipoondi as potential sites for a new airport serving Chennai and has asked the Airports Authority of India to conduct a pre‑feasibility study.
The state government of Tamil Nadu has narrowed down two locations – Cheyyur in the south and Gummidipoondi in the north – as candidates for a second airport that would complement the existing Chennai International Airport. In a formal letter to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the government sought a pre‑feasibility assessment to evaluate land availability, connectivity, and projected traffic for each site.
Officials said the selection follows a multi‑year study aimed at decongesting the current airport, which operates near its capacity limits. Both sites are situated near major highways and industrial corridors, factors that could facilitate cargo and passenger movement.
The AAI is expected to submit its preliminary report within the next few weeks, after which the state will decide on the final location and move forward with detailed project planning and land acquisition.
If approved, the new airport could boost regional economic activity, attract investment, and improve air connectivity for the southern and northern parts of Tamil Nadu.
The move reflects the state’s broader push to upgrade infrastructure ahead of upcoming national and international events, positioning Chennai as a major aviation hub in South India.
Officials said the selection follows a multi‑year study aimed at decongesting the current airport, which operates near its capacity limits. Both sites are situated near major highways and industrial corridors, factors that could facilitate cargo and passenger movement.
The AAI is expected to submit its preliminary report within the next few weeks, after which the state will decide on the final location and move forward with detailed project planning and land acquisition.
If approved, the new airport could boost regional economic activity, attract investment, and improve air connectivity for the southern and northern parts of Tamil Nadu.
The move reflects the state’s broader push to upgrade infrastructure ahead of upcoming national and international events, positioning Chennai as a major aviation hub in South India.