The fate of 1,802 acres acquired for the now-scrapped Parandur airport project became a flashpoint in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, with the government indicating that it may not return the land to its original owners and would instead repurpose it for other uses.

Industries Minister S Keerthana, responding in the Assembly, cited Clause 99 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, to argue that acquired land could be put to an alternative public use.

She said the land could be used for industrial projects that would not harm the environment or people living in the region, while also generating employment. The government's position signals that landowners may not get the land back despite the airport project being abandoned.