Parliament Question: Expansion of Airports in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1984 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30th July 2026 ) EXPANSION OF AIRPORTS IN TAMIL NADU 1984. DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the details of the airport expansion and modernisation projects currently being undertaken in Tamil Nadu including Chennai; (b) the present status of each project indicating the estimated cost, funds sanctioned, funds released, expenditure incurred and the scheduled date of completion; (c) whether any airport expansion projects in Tamil Nadu have faced delays or cost escalation issues and if so, the details thereof; (d) the projected increase in passenger handling capacity after completion of these expansion projects and the measures proposed to improve domestic and international air connectivity from Tamil Nadu; and (e) the steps taken by the Government to ensure timely completion of airport infrastructure projects and provide enhanced passenger amenities, cargo facilities and employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (d) Upgradation/modernisation of existing airports is a continuous process and is carried out by Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators based on passenger demand, operational requirements and airline demand. Major expansion and development works at airports in Tamil Nadu include: Chennai Airport: Phase-II modernization at a cost of Rs. 2,467 crore to increase the passenger handling capacity from 30 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) to 35 MPPA. Approximately Rs. 1,762.08 crore have been incurred up to June, 2026. Additional works like Storm water drain modification (Rs. 209.01 Cr.), Terminal 1 refurbishment (Rs. 81.8 Cr.) and airside infrastructure development (Rs. 480.06 Cr.) have been undertaken.Tiruchirappalli Airport: New ATC Tower-cum-Technical block works at a cost of Rs. 80.17 crore with approx. Rs. 39.06 crore incurred up to June, 2026. Coimbatore Airport: Construction of the boundary wall at the newly acquired land and addition & alteration to the existing Terminal Building have commenced at a cost of Rs. 51.31 crore and Rs. 13.71 crore, respectively. The airport expansion projects sometimes face delays due to factors such as land acquisition challenges, pending statutory and environmental clearances, financial closure by developers and unforeseen site-specific issues including adverse weather, waterlogging etc. Since deregulation of the domestic aviation sector in March 1994, airlines determine their aircraft deployment and route network based on operational and commercial viability. Accordingly, introduction of air services is at the discretion of the airlines. International air services are governed by the bilateral Air Services Agreements (ASAs) between India and the respective countries, commercial viability, passenger demand, slot availability, operational feasibility, and other associated factors. (e): To address delays in infrastructure projects, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) conduct regular project reviews in coordination with project in-charges and executing agencies. ******