The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) has stressed the need for a second airport for Chennai, arguing that the city risks losing investment and economic opportunities if aviation infrastructure is not expanded.

“The question is no longer whether Chennai needs a second international airport. The real question is whether the city can afford to delay it any further,” said P. Kruthivas, president-elect, CREDAI Chennai, and managing director, Pushkar Properties Private Limited.

“We are already late. Many airlines are shifting their operations to Bengaluru. Air France has already exited Chennai. Cathay Pacific, which earlier operated daily flights between Chennai and Hong Kong, has reduced its services. All this is happening because the current airport lacks the capacity to support further growth,” he said.

To a query on the Parandur project, Mr. Kruthivas said: “We need a second airport. There is no doubt about that. As for Parandur, it makes more sense. It has taken us three to five years to reach this stage. If we scrap the project now, how will that benefit anyone? Building an airport is not like building a highway. It takes years and cannot be done overnight.”

He highlighted that a substantial amount of land had already been acquired in Parandur. “Ecological concerns must certainly be examined — I’m not saying they shouldn’t be. But sustainability and growth have to go hand in hand,” he said. “The Parandur site is strategically located along the Chennai–Bengaluru industrial corridor, with significant electronics, automobile, and warehousing activity nearby. It is also supported by planned infrastructure, including Outer Ring Road and Chennai Metro Rail Phase II extension up to Thirumazhisai. Moreover, the site is only about 65 km from Chennai,” Mr. Kruthivas pointed out.

At risk of saturation

According to data shared by CREDAI, even after ongoing upgrades increase capacity to 35 million passengers per annum, industry observers and government projections indicate that the Chennai airport could approach saturation between 2028 and 2032. Several structural constraints make further large-scale expansion difficult. These include limited runway expansion possibilities, dense urban surroundings, peak hour slot congestion, limited aircraft parking bays, and increasing cargo pressure.

A larger aviation hub would allow Chennai to attract more international airlines, expand long-haul direct connectivity, and improve cargo movement efficiency. It will also help compete more effectively with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Dubai, and Singapore for regional traffic. Improved connectivity directly impacts exports, tourism, international business travel, and global investor perception, Mr. Kruthivas added.