AAI finds fault with MIAL signboards at airport site

Mumbai: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has objected to the signboards put up on the airport land by Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), a joint venture company that operates Mumbai airport. According to AAI, the signboards suggest that the land jointly belongs to MIAL and AAI. AAI said the land is leased and therefore MIAL does not have the ownership.
MIAL, which is in the middle of rebuilding Mumbai airport, has put up scores of signboards on different parts of the land that reads: ‘This land belongs to Airport Authority of India / Mumbai International Airport Private. Trespassers will be prosecuted.’
The innocuous wordings could have serious implications, say AAI sources. The claim of ownership can be critical as far as the purpose for which land can be used, since the owner of the land has the right to develop the land the way he wants it. But land on lease can be utilised only as per the agreement signed between the lessee and the lessor, and in this case land leased to MIAL can be used only for airport development.
In its 2006 agreement with MIAL, AAI had leased the land for 30 years. What may have perturbed AAI is the possibility that any claim of ownership of land can result into it being used for purposes other than airport development.
29/10/07 M Padmakshan/Econoimic Times

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Categories: Airports Oct 2007