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CM Vijay Urges PM Modi to Change Chennai Airport Management Amid Performance Concerns
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News18•23-09-2026, 14:32
CM Vijay Urges PM Modi to Change Chennai Airport Management Amid Performance Concerns
- •Chief Minister Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Modi requesting a change in Chennai Airport's management, citing continuous loss of international standards and failure to meet passenger expectations.
- •The letter, dated August 5, highlighted Chennai Airport's drop to 6th position in passenger handling by April, despite pre-COVID air traffic levels.
- •CM Vijay noted Chennai Airport's 6% cargo growth lagged behind Bengaluru's 14.5% and pointed out underutilization of its 36 flight movements per hour capacity.
- •He criticized the airport for not operating according to its infrastructure, leading to passenger difficulties like baggage claim delays and slow crowd management.
- •Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar clarified that the government has no full privatization plans, only seeking private participation for maintenance work.
Key Questions Answered
Chief Minister Vijay wrote to Prime Minister Modi to request that the management of Chennai Airport be transferred to another entity instead of the Airports Authority of India, citing declining international standards, passenger difficulties, and a failure to meet expectations.
Following the release of the letter, opposition parties including the Left expressed concern that the state government was attempting to hand over Chennai Airport's administration to a private company.
Tamil Nadu Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar clarified that the government has no plans to fully privatize Chennai Airport and that private participation has only been sought for maintenance work.
