Tamil Nadu’s $1.5 Trillion Economy Vision Hinges on Parandur Airport Project: Experts.

Tamil Nadu’s ambition of becoming a $1.5-trillion economy by 2036 could be jeopardised if the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur faces delays, industry leaders and former bureaucrats said recently.

Speaking at a panel discussion on “The Need for a Second Airport at Parandur”, organised by community platform Super Chennai, participants underscored the importance of the project in supporting the state’s long-term economic growth and investment aspirations.

The speakers said the proposed airport is critical to maintaining Chennai’s competitiveness as a business and investment destination. They cautioned that capacity constraints at the existing Chennai airport could emerge as a significant bottleneck, limiting the city’s ability to accommodate rising passenger and cargo traffic.

According to the panellists, the Parandur project has evolved beyond an aviation infrastructure initiative and should be viewed as a strategic economic enabler. They argued that the airport would play a key role in attracting investments, global capability centres, advanced manufacturing facilities, high-value exports and international business activity in the years ahead.

The participants noted that timely execution of the project would be essential for sustaining Tamil Nadu’s growth momentum and supporting its vision of becoming a $1.5-trillion economy over the next decade.