Thiruvananthapuram: A large section of employees of Thiruvananthapuram international airport as well as local residents are agitated over the Centre’s decision to lease out the airport to private parties.
While the employees fear that the move will hit the existence of Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the long run, local people who expressed willingness to give land for the airport expansion are rethinking their decision.
The airport employees are planning to launch a strong agitation against this. They already broug-ht the matter to the attention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
The union cabinet chaired by Prime Miniter Narendra Modi on Moday decided in-principle to lease out six airports, including Thiruvananth-apuram. Ahmedabad, Jai-pur, Lucknow, Guwahati, and Mangaluru were the other airports. Operati-on, management and de-velopment would be lea-der under Public Private Partnership.
Airport Authority Emp-loyees Union, Thiruvan-anthapuram branch secretary A. Ajithkumar sa-id that the airport emp-loyees were upset over the decision as it would badly affect AAI’s revenues. He also pointed out that though the Centre earlier planned to lease out Chennai and Kolkotta airports to private parties, it was dropped following strong resentment. Hence the employees will launch strong protest against the fresh decision to handover airports to private parties.
Airport employees also alleged that the fresh decision of the Centre was a bid to pool funds. This could also pave the way for massive corruption.
Meanwhile, the fresh decision of the Centre will also adversely affect the acquisition of 18 acres land for airport expansion. Owners of the land to be acquired had raised apprehensions over the decision to lease the airport for private party.
“Many land owners raised concerns on why they should give the land if the airport is being privatised. We will be conveying this concern to the government and would urge the government to reconsider the plans to acquire our land,” said Vallakadavu-Vayyamoola Joint Action Council chairman Saifuddin Haji.
The Centre decided to lease out the airport on the grounds that it would ensure efficiency and professionalism in services. The PPP model airports were also having high ranks with regard to quality of airport service. Nedumbaserry airport and the upcoming Kannur international airports are also in PPP model. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderab-ad airports are also in PPP model.
The decision to lease out the airport came at a time when the Airports Authority of India was planning to develop the existing international terminal as an integrated terminal for domestic and international services with two tier access. While the departure terminal will be on the first floor, the arrival terminal will be on the ground-floor.
As per the plan, the existing ground floor area would be fully reserved for arrival passengers. The departure areas would be on the first floor.
