A decision in this regard was reportedly taken in July during a high-level meeting
Chennai airport
New Delhi: Reversing its earlier plan, the government has decided to shelve the proposal to privatise the operation and management of the Chennai and Kolkata airports, according to news agency reports.
Private players would be roped in only for operation and maintenance activities of Jaipur and Ahmedabad airports on a pilot basis. All four airports are currently run by the state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI).
So far as Chennai and Kolkata airports are concerned, the government apparently is of the view that since a huge sum of tax-payers’ money has already been spent on the modernisation of Chennai and Kolkata airports in the past few years, it would not be advisable at this stage to rope in private players for the operation and management of the two metro airports at this stage.
A decision in this regard was reportedly taken in July during a high-level meeting that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and MoS for civil aviation Mahesh Sharma.
The earlier proposal was for entrusting the operation and management of Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports to private companies under PPP mode. The AAI also issued Request for Qualification (RfQ) documents in December last year. “The four airports, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata, were under consideration. On a pilot basis, Jaipur and Ahmedabad airports, will be taken on O&M basis. Issues of Chennai and Kolkata have been deferred,” Mr Mahesh Sharma said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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