The uncertain flight of Parandur airport
Following the election of actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay as Chief Minister, the Tamil Nadu government is reconsidering the controversial Parandur airport project. While residents are optimistic about saving their agricultural land, the government has yet to issue a formal order to cancel the project.
Why it matters
The potential cancellation of a major infrastructure project reflects the power of local grassroots movements and shifting political priorities in state governance.
G ovindaraj Janardhanan is struggling to find words to describe his relief. A farmer from Ekanapuram village near Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu, who also works part-time at a private firm, Janardhanan is happy that the Tamil Nadu government has paused the Parandur airport project and may even drop it altogether. “This decision will save our village and agricultural lands from being destroyed,” he says.
On May 4, when the results of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were announced and actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay was elected as the new Chief Minister, a wave of excitement spread across many parts of the State.
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