CPM sniffs private plot in airport delay

New Delhi: The CPM has alleged that the modernisation of airports is being deliberately delayed to allow “backdoor” privatisation.
Sitaram Yechury, in a letter written in his capacity as chairman of the standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene to “end this interminable delay in the process of airport modernisation” in Calcutta, Chennai and other cities.
“Certain arms of your government are deliberately delaying the process in order to privatise the modernisation of airports through the back door,” he alleged.
Yechury pointed out that the Prime Minister’s committee on infrastructure had decided to develop the city-side of airports, that covers commercial space, through private-public partnership (PPP). But, he added, this was “reversed” by an inter-ministerial group (IMG).
The CPM leader quoted the IMG’s minutes as saying the scope of work on the projects through the PPP model would “include commercial operations and maintenance of terminal buildings, development and operations of cargo and real estate development on land identified for the purpose”.
09/05/08 The Telegraph

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Categories: Airports May 2008