Left out, PPP model in non-metro airports to get wings

The government is all set to allow private developers and joint venture companies to develop the terminal side infrastructure at non-metro airports. The move, which comes close on the heels of the Left parties withdrawing support to the Manmohan Singh government, shows the change in the government’s vision in developing airports.
The Left parties have been pushing for the state-owned airport developer Airports Authority of India (AAI) to undertake the development of these airports. The development of non-metro airports to world-class standards is expected to cost around Rs 12,000 crore.
“But the metro airports of Kolkata and Chennai will not go to the private developers as they have already been delayed enough. We just want to get those projects started as soon as possible as there is very little time left for the government,” said an official with the ministry of civil aviation. “With just 10 months remaining, the priority is to get as many projects moving as possible before a change of guard at the Centre,” he added. The Kolkata and Chennai airports will be developed by the AAI. After vehement objections by the Left parties when the Amritsar and Udaipur projects were being assessed, the civil aviation ministry revised the modernisation guidelines for non-metro airports to allow private participation only in minor city-side operations such as parking facilities and hotels but not the terminal side development. All terminal work development works at the airports were to be done by the AAI.
05/08/08 Shauvik Ghosh/Financial Express

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Categories: Airports Aug 2008