Saturday, September 05, 2015

HC gives tarikh pe tarikh to hear CIC order for bringing Mumbai Airport under RTI

This is a classic case of how a decision by the Central Information Commission (CIC) is stonewalled by the vested interests, in keeping a public-private-partnership (PPP) with the Ministry of Aviation, outside the ambit of RTI Act. Pune-based RTI activist Sanjay Shirodkar has been knocking at the doors of the Delhi High Court, which has given 13 dates since 2010, the latest seeking submission from the Right to Information (RTI) activist, on 31 August 2015. Shirodkar exasperatedly states, “Tarikh pe tarikh and stay is on. This is my lonely battle as a citizen and taxpayer against a giant. Let us hope the Court gives an order and RTI is implemented in this big PPP.”

The ministry of Civil Aviation handed over its profit-making Mumbai International Airport (MIL) to a private company, GVK for modernization in 2006. The initial capital put by Airport Authority of India (AAI) was Rs250 crore. It also gave on lease, land of 2,000 acres worth Rs80,000 crore for a rent of Rs100 a year only and that too for 30 long years. A consortium led by the IDBI has given Rs9,000 crore towards Infrastructure loan and the Government of Maharashtra has waived off stamp duty of Rs250 crore for the project.
04/09/15 V inita Deshmukh/moneylife
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