The Tamil Nadu government has applied for site clearance for developing an airport for Rameswaram at Manikaneri in Ramanathapuram district.
The State government sent the site clearance application to the Ministry of Civil Aviation a few days ago, sources said. “A little more than 600 acres have been earmarked at Manikaneri and a survey was held recently to examine the terrain and the kinds of developments in the area. After a few rounds of discussions, the site at Manikaneri (near Keelakarai) was found to be a viable option,” a source said.
The airport will be able to handle Code C aircraft such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, another source said. The approval for site clearance is estimated to take nearly 10 to 12 months, and after it comes through, the government must apply for in-principle approval. Meanwhile, an Obstacle Limitation Surface Survey (OLS) will have to be sent to the Ministry shortly, giving the number and type of obstructions, and if they can be removed so that they don’t interfere with airport operations, he added.
In 2024, the Ministry wrote to the Tamil Nadu government seeking to build the Rameswaram airport. Following this, the latter came out with the announcement in March 2025.
After evaluating five potential sites, the State government shortlisted Uchipuli and Manikaneri. The Airports Authority of India (AAI)’s team of experts visited both sites as part of the pre-feasibility study and submitted its assessment recommending the Manikaneri site.
The site identified is approximately 120 km and 140 km from the Madurai and Thoothukudi airports respectively. High-tension lines cross the site and a few waterbodies are in proximity as well. But the AAI has said that it is technically feasible to build an airport in the location.
In August, the government reiterated the plan to construct this airport to strengthen tourism and upgrade connectivity.
Published - October 17, 2026 11:47 pm IST