The Thiruvananthapuram airport was started as a flying club in 1932 by the Travancore royal family. The Tata Airlines' maiden flight to the airport in 1935 used a DH-83 Fox Moth aircraft, and it came carrying birthday wishes for Maharaja Chithira Thirunal from the Viceroy, Lord Willingdon. The airport, now spread over 700 acres of land, handled 4.4 million passengers in 2018-19.
But now, Kerala's first international airport is in the thick of a controversy. In February, it became one of the six airports leased out to highest bidders Adani Group by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Protests started soon after in Kerala. "The city airport is our pride and we had requested the prime minister that the state be given preferential consideration while selecting the bid for the Thiruvananthapuram airport," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told india today. The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) was one of the bidders for the 50-year lease of the airport.
Pinarayi has made it clear that Kerala will resist if the Centre bypasses the state government to hand over the airport to the Adanis. As a start, it may back out from handing over the eight acres of land acquired for a new domestic terminal announced earlier. The issue is also being fought in the public sphere where new revelations may bolster Kerala's case. News reports suggest that the central panel for public private partnerships-the PPP Appraisal Committee (PPPAC)-had disregarded some six criteria set by the finance ministry's Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the NITI Aayog while approving the Adani Group's bids. These include the requirement of prior experience in operation and management (O&M) of airports, providing the total project cost for each airport up front (to determine financial capability), not awarding the same player more than two airports (to 'facilitate yardstick competition'), etc.
The Adani Group, a new player in the airport management sector, knows very well that without state support it will not be able to operate the airport. The group has high stakes in Kerala as it is also building the international port at Vizhinjam.
16/08/19 Jeemon Jacob/India Today
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But now, Kerala's first international airport is in the thick of a controversy. In February, it became one of the six airports leased out to highest bidders Adani Group by the Airport Authority of India (AAI). Protests started soon after in Kerala. "The city airport is our pride and we had requested the prime minister that the state be given preferential consideration while selecting the bid for the Thiruvananthapuram airport," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told india today. The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) was one of the bidders for the 50-year lease of the airport.
Pinarayi has made it clear that Kerala will resist if the Centre bypasses the state government to hand over the airport to the Adanis. As a start, it may back out from handing over the eight acres of land acquired for a new domestic terminal announced earlier. The issue is also being fought in the public sphere where new revelations may bolster Kerala's case. News reports suggest that the central panel for public private partnerships-the PPP Appraisal Committee (PPPAC)-had disregarded some six criteria set by the finance ministry's Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the NITI Aayog while approving the Adani Group's bids. These include the requirement of prior experience in operation and management (O&M) of airports, providing the total project cost for each airport up front (to determine financial capability), not awarding the same player more than two airports (to 'facilitate yardstick competition'), etc.
The Adani Group, a new player in the airport management sector, knows very well that without state support it will not be able to operate the airport. The group has high stakes in Kerala as it is also building the international port at Vizhinjam.
16/08/19 Jeemon Jacob/India Today
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