Updated 25 October 2026: this article has been rewritten after the Tamil Nadu government dropped the Parandur airport plan.
For four years, “near the new airport” was one of the most common lines in land advertisements west of Chennai. That line no longer holds. With the Parandur airport cancelled, the Tamil Nadu government is now studying other sites for Chennai’s second airport. If you own land in the area, or were about to buy, here’s a calm look at what has changed and what hasn’t.
Quick answer: Tamil Nadu has dropped the Parandur greenfield airport and asked for feasibility studies at Manellore near Gummidipoondi and at Cheyyur; neither is confirmed. Land bought purely on the airport story near Parandur may soften, while areas backed by jobs, roads and the new Poonamallee metro are largely unaffected. Buy on infrastructure that exists today.
Key takeaways
- The state announced in the Assembly in August 2026 that it is dropping the Parandur airport and looking for a new site.
- Only about 1,802 of the 5,846 acres needed had been acquired, and environmental clearance was still pending.
- Manellore and Cheyyur have been suggested for study, but neither is a confirmed airport site.
- Plots backed by existing jobs, roads and transit hold up far better than plots sold on announcements.
Parandur airport cancelled: what was announced
On 24 August 2026, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay told the Assembly that the state would not go ahead with the greenfield airport at Parandur near Kancheepuram, and would instead look for a site that causes less disruption to farmland and villages. The government was clear that Chennai still needs a second airport; it’s the location that is being reconsidered.
The reasons given were practical as much as political:
- Of the roughly 5,846 acres needed, only about 1,802 acres had been acquired, and acquisition hadn’t begun in several villages.
- A large share of the identified area consisted of water bodies and wetlands, raising flooding and runway concerns.
- Environmental clearance and the impact assessment were still pending.
What happens to the land already acquired hasn’t been settled. Ministers have mentioned using it for industry and employment projects, but there’s no final decision yet.
Where could the second airport go now?
Two locations have been recommended to the Airports Authority of India for feasibility studies: Manellore, near Gummidipoondi to the north of the city, and Cheyyur, to the south. Neither is a confirmed site. Both still need land, airspace, environmental and rehabilitation studies, followed by approvals, acquisition and construction. Realistically, that is a process measured in years.
Meanwhile, the existing airport at Meenambakkam is being expanded, with plans to take its capacity to around 55 million passengers a year.
What this means for land around Parandur and Sriperumbudur
It helps to separate two kinds of demand in west Chennai.
Demand built on the airport story
Land in and immediately around the proposed airport villages, much of it agricultural, was often priced on future expectations. That is the land most exposed now. Buyers who paid a premium purely for “airport proximity” may find demand thinner and prices slower for a while.
Demand built on jobs and roads
Sriperumbudur, Oragadam and the corridor toward Poonamallee have their own engines: large manufacturing parks, the Bengaluru highway and steady housing demand from people who work there. None of that depended on the airport, and none of it has gone away. The Poonamallee metro, which opened in October 2026, has improved the eastern end of this corridor further.
| Area type | Main demand driver | Likely impact of the decision |
|---|---|---|
| Villages within the proposed airport zone | Airport expectations | Weaker, uncertain until the land’s future use is decided |
| Sriperumbudur and Oragadam industrial belt | Factories and jobs | Limited; fundamentals unchanged |
| Poonamallee, Parivakkam, Thirumazhisai | City access and the new metro | Largely unaffected |
| Manellore and Cheyyur surroundings | Fresh speculation | Expect hype; nothing is confirmed |
For the wider metro picture, see our Chennai Metro Phase 2 status guide.
A simple test for any plot sold on “upcoming” infrastructure
Parandur is a useful reminder that announced projects can change. Before paying extra for something that hasn’t been built, ask these questions:
- Would this plot still make sense if the project never happened? If not, you’re speculating, not investing.
- What stage is the project at? An announcement, a detailed project report, funds sanctioned, land acquired and construction started are very different levels of certainty.
- What exists today? Count the jobs, schools, hospitals, roads and transit you can actually use now.
- Is the land approved for housing? Agricultural land near a proposed project is not a residential plot.
- What are recent registrations, not asking prices? The guideline value and actual sale deeds tell you more than an advertisement.
From experience: when a buyer tells us a plot is “near the upcoming” something, we ask them to describe the neighbourhood as it is today. If the answer is mostly about the future, we suggest they slow down.
What to watch over the next year
- The future of the acquired land. A decision on the roughly 1,802 acres, whether it goes to industry, back to owners or something else, will shape sentiment in the surrounding villages.
- Feasibility results for Manellore and Cheyyur. Until the Airports Authority of India reports, treat both as possibilities, not plans.
- Chennai airport’s expansion. New terminal capacity at the existing airport reduces the urgency for a second one and keeps the south-west suburbs well connected.
- The Poonamallee–Sunguvarchatram metro extension. Its detailed project report has state approval and awaits central sanction. A go-ahead would matter more to this corridor than the airport ever did for most homebuyers.
If you already own land near Parandur
There’s no need to panic-sell. Get clarity first: confirm whether your land is inside the area that was earmarked for acquisition, check the land classification, and watch for the government’s decision on what happens to the acquired land. If your plot is in an approved layout with clear title and good road access, its long-term value rests on the same things it always did.
Your next step
If you’re buying in west Chennai now, focus on approved plots where the infrastructure you’re paying for already exists. If Parivakkam is on your list, the Signature Acres team can show you our Guberan Nagar layout in Parivakkam and the route to Poonamallee metro station. Book a free site visit.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Parandur airport been cancelled?
Yes. The Tamil Nadu government announced in the Assembly in August 2026 that it is dropping the Parandur greenfield airport plan and will look for a different site for Chennai’s second airport. The existing Chennai airport is being expanded in the meantime.
Where will Chennai’s second airport be built now?
No site is final. Manellore, near Gummidipoondi in the north, and Cheyyur, to the south, have been recommended to the Airports Authority of India for feasibility studies. Each still needs land, airspace, environmental and runway assessments, so any timeline is years away.
Will land prices near Parandur fall?
Land that was bought or priced mainly on the airport story may see weaker demand. Areas around Sriperumbudur and Oragadam that depend on factories, highways and jobs have their own drivers and are less exposed. Prices vary sharply by location, so look at actual recent registrations rather than asking prices.
Should I buy land near Manellore or Cheyyur now?
Be careful. Both are only candidates for a feasibility study, and many proposed projects never reach construction. If you buy there, buy for reasons that would still make sense without an airport, and check approvals and title as carefully as anywhere else.
A people-first professional with over a decade of experience in service operations, Amruthavalli ensures every client journey is seamless from start to finish. Her dedication to timely delivery, clear communication, and smooth coordination makes every project experience stress-free and dependable.