Kuppam Airport Project May Hit TN’s Greenfield Airport Plans
The Centre's approval for site clearance for the Kuppam airport in Andhra Pradesh might hinder Tamil Nadu's intentions to build a greenfield airport in Hosur, as the two sites are situated less than 100 km apart.
The planned Kuppam airport, located in the constituency of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is set to cover 1,200 acres with a projected investment of ₹1,700 crore, as stated in the master plan presented to the authorities.
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Kuppam is a notable border town located in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, at the point where Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu converge. The former DMK administration was enthusiastic about establishing a greenfield airport in Hosur. Nevertheless, the current TVK administration has acted carefully, pointing to several obstacles, such as approvals from Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) and the existence of Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited’s airstrip.
The State Government is considering the development of a greenfield airport at either Cheyyur or Gummidipoondi and is waiting for site approval from the Centre. Hosur is roughly 80 km from Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, whereas Kuppam is about 130 km distant.
The establishment of an airport in Hosur has encountered regulatory limitations stemming from the concession contract between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and BIAL.
In a response to MP VS Matheswaran in 2024, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu stated that the current airstrip at Hosur is privately owned and managed by Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Ltd.
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In the initial round of bidding for the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN, Turbo Aviation Pvt Ltd placed a bid for the Chennai-Hosur-Chennai route. Nonetheless, the route was not granted due to stipulations in the concession contract with BIAL.
According to the agreement, no new or currently operational airport, apart from the airports in Mysore and Hassan for domestic flights, can be developed or enhanced into a domestic or international airport within a 150 km aerial distance of Bengaluru airport until the 25th year of its inauguration. The operations at Bengaluru airport began on May 24, 2008.
As a result, the minister stated that Hosur airport was not included in later phases of UDAN bidding.
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Kuppam might be established as an air cargo center, potentially aiding the numerous industrial businesses situated in Hosur and Krishnagiri districts in Tamil Nadu. Nevertheless, the progress may also affect the aviation and logistics environment that Tamil Nadu aspires to establish in Hosur.
J Krishnan, a freight forwarder from Chennai, remarked on the Kuppam project's consequences, noting that Andhra Pradesh's rapid development of new greenfield airports, in contrast to Tamil Nadu's slower advancements, presented a challenge for the State's objectives.