Tamil Nadu reportedly shortlisted Manellore and Cheyyur on Sunday, September 6, 2026, as possible locations for a new airport serving Greater Chennai. The development was reported from Chennai at 10:53 AM IST, days after Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s government abandoned the Parandur proposal.

The Tamil Nadu government has reportedly shortlisted Manellore and Cheyyur as potential locations for a new airport serving the Chennai Metropolitan Area after abandoning the proposed Parandur greenfield airport.

The two locations were identified within about a week and recommended to the Airports Authority of India for feasibility assessment. The state government has not yet announced either location as the final site.

Manellore is approximately 60 kilometres from Chennai, while Cheyyur is about 100 kilometres from the city. Their suitability will depend on aviation, environmental, connectivity, land and economic evaluations.

The reported shortlist indicates that the Vijay government is attempting to move quickly after withdrawing the Parandur proposal. Both locations will need to undergo detailed studies before the government selects a site or begins acquisition and approval procedures.

Manellore’s relative proximity to Chennai could offer an accessibility advantage. Cheyyur is farther away but may provide different options concerning available land, settlement density and future development.

Distance alone will not determine the final choice. Experts must assess airspace, runway orientation, road and rail connectivity, water bodies, environmental impact, acquisition costs and the number of families likely to be displaced.

The Airports Authority of India is expected to study whether the shortlisted locations can support a major airport. The assessment would examine technical and operational factors, including terrain, flight paths, weather conditions and connectivity with Chennai.

The findings will be important because the proposed facility is intended to serve the expanding Chennai Metropolitan Area. Chennai needs additional aviation capacity to accommodate rising passenger traffic, industrial development and cargo movement.

A feasibility recommendation would not automatically mean construction could begin. The selected proposal would still require environmental studies, government approvals, land planning, financing and supporting transport infrastructure.

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced the withdrawal of the Parandur project in the Assembly on Monday, August 24, 2026. He said Chennai required another airport but argued that its location should minimise harm to agricultural land, homes and livelihoods. The decision followed sustained opposition from residents of Parandur and surrounding villages.

The government said the proposed Parandur site included substantial areas of fertile farmland, water bodies and canals. It also disputed Opposition claims about the progress already achieved, maintaining that only about 48 per cent of the required land had been acquired.

The DMK criticised the cancellation, warning that abandoning an advanced infrastructure proposal could delay airport expansion and affect investment, employment and industrial growth.

Selecting between Manellore, Cheyyur and any other potential location will test the government’s ability to reconcile infrastructure development with environmental and community concerns.

The new site must offer enough space for long-term expansion while avoiding the problems that contributed to opposition against Parandur. Transparent feasibility findings, meaningful consultation with residents and early disclosure of land requirements could help prevent another prolonged dispute.

A second airport is considered important for Chennai’s future passenger and cargo needs, but identifying a location is only the beginning of a lengthy approval process. For now, Manellore and Cheyyur remain reported candidates rather than confirmed airport sites, and the AAI’s technical evaluation will shape the government’s next decision.