Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai has raised a question directed at actor Vijay, asking whether he could suggest an alternative site if he opposes the proposed airport at Parandur.Plans for establishing a greenfield airport near Parandur, Kanchipuram, have been underway, with land acquisition from 13 villages causing discontent. Local villagers have been protesting the project for over 900 days, citing concerns over the destruction of farmlands and water bodies.
Recently, actor Vijay visited Parandur and addressed the protesting villagers from an open van, criticizing the ruling DMK. Vijay asserted that the destruction of farmlands for an airport is unacceptable and accused the ruling party of misleading the public.
Responding to Vijay’s remarks, Annamalai pointed out the necessity of the airport for Tamil Nadu. He highlighted that Chennaiās airport spans only 1,000 acres compared to Delhiās 5,000 acres and Bengaluruās 4,000 acres, making it insufficient to handle the rising number of passengers, projected to reach 10 crores in the next decade.
Annamalai emphasized that land selection for the airport is the state governmentās responsibility. Both the DMK, when in opposition in 2016, and the AIADMK, when in power in 2019, supported the need for a greenfield airport and identified Parandur as a viable location. After the DMK returned to power, the Union Government approved the stateās recommendation for Parandur due to its proximity to the Bengaluru-Chennai expressway.
He reiterated that the BJP has no involvement in the land selection process and urged all stakeholders to understand the state governmentās role in choosing the site.