Hosur Airport Location To Be Finalised Soon: Tamil Nadu Minister TRB Raaja

Tamil Nadu government will "very soon" finalise the location for the greenfield airport in Hosur, Industries Minister TRB Raaja said in the Assembly on Tuesday.

DMK Minister Confirms

"Very soon, there will be a decision on the location of Hosur airport. We are committed towards building an airport in Hosur," Deccan Herald quoted Raaja as saying. His statement comes after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) recently submitted a draft feasibility report to the Tamil Nadu government for the proposed airport.

Raaja, responding to a query in the Assembly, stated that the government has shortlisted two sites out of five sites which were identified for evaluation. The DMK minister said that the government is committed to building an airport in Hosur, stating that a final decision on the site would be made soon.

2 Sites Shortlisted

The two shortlisted sites is located 1.5 km from Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited (TAAL) airstrip and the other around 15.5 km near Ulagam (east of Hosur and north of Shoolagiri). "AAI has said both sites are suitable for the airport. The ball is now in the state government's court," the English daily quoted a source as saying.

After finalising the location, the Tamil Nadu government will inform the Union Civil Aviation Ministry. However, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) is required as the Hosur airport is coming within 150 km of the Kempegowda International Airport.

An earlier report had claimed that the Tamil Nadu government is expected to zero in on the location in April.

What's Next?

As per the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008, any state government or developer seeking to establish a new airport must conduct a pre-feasibility study and obtain approval from the central government. Tamil Nadu will need to submit a formal proposal to move forward. Currently, the state has six operational airports, including international hubs in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Tiruchirapalli.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has announced that it has plans to build a new airport in Rameswaram, located in Ramanathapuram district, aiming to accommodate the rising influx of tourists.

State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, in his budget speech, said that the DMK government is committed to expanding existing airports while establishing new ones to enhance connectivity, particularly in South Tamil Nadu.