WECElbert296866 at 17:03, 7 December 2025

2025-12-07T17:03:06Z

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{{Short description|Abandoned airport in Tamil Nadu, India}}
'''Chettinad Airport''', also known as the '''Karaikudi''' '''Kanadukathan Airport''', is an abandoned airport near [[Karaikudi]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2017-02-27|title=Chettinad Group ready to support efforts for mini airport|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/chettinad/article17378317.ece|access-date=2020-11-26|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=Staff Reporter|date=2020-11-02|title=HC seeks report on improving air connectivity|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/hc-seeks-report-on-improving-air-connectivity-karaikudi-rameswaram-madurai/article33005387.ece|access-date=2020-12-30|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Chettinad Airport is named for its location in the [[Chettinad|Chettinad region]]. The land surrounding the airstrip is now barren, but the runway of this airstrip is still in working condition with no damage. It spans approximately 2000 meter in length and 1500 width. It looks like Latin Cross from the air. It has 2 runways which is left undamaged till date.

The peoples of Chettinad pioneered India's Flying Club. Chettinad Airstrip Boasted one of the India's first Flying Club in 1930's itself. This airport served as a Primary Hub airport of ''Jupiter Airlines'' around 1953 which was operated by [[Alagappa Chettiar]] at that time, later the airline company is closed and so the airport left in disuse.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Basu|first=Soma|date=2021-02-11|title=Alagappa Chettiar and the untold story of his Jupiter Airlines launched in pre-independence Madras|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/the-untold-story-of-alagappa-chettiar/article33809745.ece|access-date=2021-10-13|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-12|title=Alagappa Chettiar and the untold story of his Jupiter Airlines released in pre-independence Madras|url=https://makedigitally.com/life-and-style-stories/alagappa-chettiar-and-the-untold-story-of-his-jupiter-airlines-released-in-pre-independence-madras/|access-date=2021-10-13|website=Make Digitally|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=mediabest|title=Alagappa Chettiar and the untold story of his Jupiter Airlines launched in pre-independence Madras {{!}} BINJ.IN|url=https://binj.in/lifestyle/alagappa-chettiar-and-the-untold-story-of-his-jupiter-airlines-launched-in-pre-independence-madras/|access-date=2021-10-13|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Jupiter Airways (ii) history from India, Rest of World|url=https://airlinehistory.co.uk/airline/jupiter-airways-ii/|access-date=2021-10-13|website=Airline History|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-15|title=Forgotten Pioneer Who Launched An Airline To Ferry Refugees During Partition|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/260613/alagappa-chettiar-partition-independence-day-history-unsung-heroes/|access-date=2021-10-13|website=The Better India|language=en}}</ref> The airstrip was used by the British Government ([[United Kingdom]]) as an airbase during [[World War II]]. Fighter planes from Royal Air force would land at this airstrip to refuel and reload the bombs and also there was a helipad at that airbase. It housed [[Douglas DC-3|DC3]], the [[Hawker Hurricane]]s and the [[Supermarine Spitfire|spitfires]] at that time.

Nearest functioning airport to [[karaikudi]] is [[Madurai International Airport|Madurai International airport]] and [[Tiruchirappalli International Airport|Tiruchirapalli international airport]]. But both airports are located at a distance of approximately 100 km (by Road) from this town.

The [[Government of India]] plans to construct a new airport at Chettinad under the [[UDAN|UDAN scheme]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 3, 2020|title=HC seeks report on feasibility of airport at Rameswaram |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/hc-seeks-report-on-feasibility-of-airport-at-rameswaram/articleshow/79008486.cms|access-date=2020-11-26|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Ramakrishnan|first=T.|date=2016-11-22|title=Centre identifies 13 unserved airports in TN under Udan scheme|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Centre-identifies-13-unserved-airports-in-TN-under-Udan-scheme/article16722066.ece|access-date=2020-11-26|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Once opened, this airport serves the districts of [[Sivaganga district|Sivagangai]], [[Pudukkottai district|Pudukkottai]] and [[Ramanathapuram district|Ramanathapuram]]. And also serves many religious cultural places present around this area. Currently this land is being owned and maintained by the Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry Department.

As of September 2025, despite the interest of Central Government of India,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-06 |title=செட்டிநாடு விமான நிலையம் அமைக்கும் மத்திய அரசின் அறிவிப்புக்கு வரவேற்பு |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/business/1349790-central-govt-announcement-of-setting-up-airport-in-chettinad.html |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-11-22 |title=HC dismisses plea to revive Karaikudi airport |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madras-high-court-rejects-petition-to-revive-karaikudi-airport/articleshow/115574268.cms |access-date=2025-11-15 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] is trying to bring a Pilot Training School (club) at Chettinad Airstrip.<ref>{{Cite web |last=R |first=Rajkumar |date=2025-09-04 |title=காரைக்குடியை கவுத்துட்டாங்கப்பு.. செட்டிநாடு விமான நிலையம் வராது! கைவிரித்த தமிழக அரசு! என்னாச்சு? |url=https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/chennai/tn-govt-rejects-chettinad-airport-plan-locals-express-disappointment-732933.html |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=tamil.oneindia.com |language=ta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-04 |title=செட்டிநாடு விமான நிலையம் சாத்தியமில்லை என கைவிட்ட தமிழக அரசு - காரைக்குடி மக்கள் அதிருப்தி |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/tamilnadu/1375363-karaikudi-people-unhappy-for-tn-govt-abandons-chettinad-airport-as-unfeasible.html |access-date=2025-11-15 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=இ.ஜெகநாதன் |date=2022-08-10 |title=காரைக்குடி அருகே செட்டிநாட்டில் விமானிகள் பயிற்சி மையம் அமைக்க ஏற்பாடு |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/tamilnadu/837907-arrangement-to-pilot-training-center-on-chettinadu-near-by-karaikudi.html |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}}</ref> This flying club was named as Azhagappa Flying club and functional till 1950's.<ref>{{Cite web |title=காரைக்குடி இளைஞர் கண்டுபிடித்த சிறிய விமானம் - இளம் வயதில் அசாத்திய சாதனை |url=https://tamil.samayam.com/city/sivagangai/youth-near-karaikudi-created-a-record-by-making-small-airplanes/articleshow/96220489.cms |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=Samayam Tamil |language=ta}}</ref>

As of 2025, Tamil Nadu government under [[Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation|TIDCO]] is also developing testing, training centre for drones beyond visual area of sight at Chettinad airstrip which is first of its kind in India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shivakumar |first=C. |date=2025-10-06 |title=TN drafting roadmap to position itself as India’s low-altitude economy hub |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2025/Oct/06/tn-drafting-roadmap-to-position-itself-as-indias-low-altitude-economy-hub |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==Importance of this airport==
'''Tourist, religious and cultural places near this airport:'''

[[Kalayar Kovil|Kalayarkovil]]

[[Thirumayam Fort|Thirumayam]]

[[Karpaka Vinayakar Temple|Pillaiyarpatti]]

[[Kundrakudi]]

[[Thondi]]

[[Uthirakosamangai|Thiruutirakosamangai]]

[[Devipattinam]]

[[Rameswaram]]

[[Karaikudi]]

[[Vettangudi Bird Sanctuary|Vettangudi]]

[[Thirukoshtiyur|Thirukostiyur]]

'''Important towns near this airport:'''

[[Karaikudi]]

[[Sivaganga]]i

[[Pudukkottai]]

[[Ramanathapuram]]

[[Tiruppattur, Sivaganga|Tirupathur]]

[[Aranthangi]]

[[Thirumayam]]

[[Devakottai]]

[[Ponnamaravathi|Ponamaravathi]]

[[Thondi]]

[[Tiruvadanai|Thiruvadanai]]

[[Paramakudi]]

'''Importance of this airport:'''

The [[INS Parundu]] airbase serves for Indian navy which strategically locates very close to [[Sri Lanka|ceylon]] which causes several inabilities of [[Indian Navy|Indian navy]] to cooperate with commercial airline and this airbase has a runway length of just 920 Meters<ref>{{Cite web|title=INS Parundu Naval Air Station - IndiaAirport.com|url=http://indiaairport.com/states/tamil_nadu/ins_parundu.htm|access-date=2021-10-13|website=indiaairport.com}}</ref> which is not capable of handling medium and larger flights. It has the capability to handle just 20 seater airplanes in its runway. Moreover, the runway of this airbase is sandwiched between Highway Road([[National Highway 87 (India)|Madurai Rameswaram Highway]]) and Railway Track([[Manamadurai–Rameswaram branch line|Manamadurai - Rameswaram branch line]]) which makes this airbase unfit for future expansion. So it is not possible to locate an airport at INS Parundu. Instead karaikudi airstrip which is few kilometers away from INS Parundu airbase can be the best option for making an airport because it has 2 runways spans 2000 Meters and 1500 Metres with no constructed buildings and no upcoming projects around it.

==Incidents==
On November 13, 2025, a Single Engined [[Cessna|cessna aircraft]] was met with an accident due to failure of the engine which was conducting training for pilots in the scheduled route between [[Salem Airport (India)|Salem]] - Karaikudi - Salem sector. The flight partially crash landed on the Karaikudi Trichy Highway with no casualties.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Training Aircraft Suffers Technical Snag, Lands On NH In Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/en/state/training-aircraft-suffers-technical-snag-lands-on-nh-in-tamil-nadu-enn25111303936}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Defunct airports in India]]
[[Category:Airports in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:1940s establishments in India]]
[[Category:Sivaganga district]]

Chettinad Airport - Revision history

WECElbert296866 at 17:03, 7 December 2025