Chennai's Second Airport To Soon Get Comprehensive Techno-Economic Report, Master Plan

The search for a consultant to draft a detailed techno-economic report  for the new greenfield airport near Chennai is now underway by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).

The second airport for Chennai would be constructed at Parandur in the Kancheepuram district across a land area of 4,791 acres with two runways.

TIDCO has released a request for proposals (RFP) in an effort to hire a consultant to handle a variety of tasks, including creating a detailed techno-economic report that includes a master plan, survey, and financial model and conducting environmental impact assessments with environmental management plans and social impact studies.

“The consultant will be tasked with doing surveys with respect to land, water, air quality and a few other aspects. They will also facilitate in getting different kinds of mandatory approvals. They will also carry out an economic evaluation and recommend financial models that can be implemented. We expect that they are likely to take nearly eight-nine months to complete the extensive report,” an official of TIDCO said, reports The Hindu.

The project will cost Rs 20,000 crore. The new airport will be built on 4,700 acres to accommodate passenger traffic for the next 30 to 35 years. 

Aside from providing the detailed techno-economic report, one of the consultant's most essential jobs is to create a master plan.

The report will be a comprehensive plan that includes everything from establishing the second airport site as a hub to researching the economics of aircraft stop-overs that fly over the city and arranging parking space for automobiles, buses, freight, and other vehicles to taking care of transit passengers.

The proposed new airport would be located about 60 kilometres from the current airport in Meenambakkam.

One of the key problems is the distance between the site and the current airport, and how passengers will get to Parandur. The consultant is also expected to provide what type of connectivity is needed, assess how efficient surface transport can be achieved, and consider options such as high-speed rail or metro rail.

Tamil Nadu's Minister of Industries, Thangam Thennarasu, said that the construction of the proposed Parandur Greenfield Airport would be completed by 2028.

The project is expected to have an investment-to-return ratio of Rs 100: Rs 325.

Bengaluru, which ranked fifth in 2008 before constructing a new airport there, has improved compared to Chennai, which ranked third in 2008. The current airport at Meenambakkam in Chennai has fallen to the fifth position.

A high-level committee will be formed to recommend innovative techniques and plans to protect and manage the water bodies and raise the groundwater level in Parandur.

The committee's recommendations will be implemented in order to eliminate water shortages in the communities near Parandur and to prevent floods during rainy seasons.

The action is also being taken to ensure that water bodies do not suffer because of the development of an airport.

The project site's water bodies would be inter-connected to meet agricultural lands' requirements.

The project area includes the 360-acre Periya Nelavoy Lake, which will be protected and deepened.

Chief Minister M K Stalin said that both the existing airport at Meenambakkam and the upcoming airport at Parandur would function simultaneously, catering to the rapidly increasing demand in the civil aviation sector.

Thus, similar to Delhi (Delhi and Noida airports), Mumbai (Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports) and Goa (Dabolim and Mopa airports), Chennai may soon get two airports systems.