The Tamil Nadu government has finalised a site in Shoolagiri taluk, between Berigai and Bagalur, for the proposed Hosur airport, marking a major milestone in the state's expanding aviation infrastructure. The new airport is designed with a projected annual capacity of 30 million passengers, exceeding Chennai Airport’s 2023 capacity of 22 million.The selected location lies approximately 15.5 km east of the TAAL airstrip and was preferred over earlier options due to fewer natural and man-made obstacles. A recent Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) survey recorded only 75 obstructions at the site, compared to nearly 350 at the previously considered TAAL-adjacent location, which was deemed unfeasible due to hilly terrain and overhead power lines.Officials highlighted the site’s strategic proximity to the Bengaluru Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR), being developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The road will enhance connectivity to Bengaluru and neighbouring towns, with Attibele, Karnataka’s entry point from Hosur, located just 19 km away.Tamil Nadu is expected to seek formal approval from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry within two weeks. The Krishnagiri District Collector has been tasked with preparing a land acquisition plan covering nearly 2,300 acres, to be submitted within six weeks.A proposal has also been sent to the Defence Ministry for controlled airspace clearance. However, a key regulatory hurdle remains: obtaining a no-objection certificate from Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL). Under its concession agreement, no new international airport can be built within 150 km of Bengaluru until 2033.Despite these constraints, officials estimate that the Hosur airport will take around eight years to complete. The project was first announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in 2023 as part of Tamil Nadu’s broader industrial and infrastructure development strategy.Hosur, a major manufacturing hub, is home to over 500 large industries and 3,000 MSMEs in sectors such as automobiles, electronics, and engineering. The airport is expected to ease congestion at both Chennai and Bengaluru airports, while also catalysing economic growth in Krishnagiri district and northern Tamil Nadu.