Privatisation of three airports already underway: Centre

NEW DELHI: The process of privatisation of three airports has already commenced, the Centre said on Wednesday. The government had decided to privatise six airports – Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati – through a public-private partnership (PPP) model last year. '

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'Private players will be invited to manage six airports of the country. The ones chosen for operation, management and development through a public-private partnership (PPP) model are Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati,” Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri told Rajya Sabha.

The work for operation, management and development of these airports will be given to private players, said the Union Minister. “Privatisation has been a succesful mission. Delhi and Mumbai airports are its example. Privatisation will benefit both the AAI and the passenger,” said Puri.

The Union Minister's statement cames days after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned the issue of the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram Airport. “Discussed the issue of the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram Airport w/ Civil Aviation Minister @hardeepspuri. He told me that because of the objections of the State Govt the decision has been placed on hold for now. The Central Govt is yet to take a final view as Tvm pax fume!” he tweeted.

Discussed the issue of the privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram Airport w/ Civil Aviation Minister @hardeepspuri. He told me that because of the objections of the State Govt the decision has been placed on hold for now. The Cebtral Govt is yet to take a final view as Tvm pax fume!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 17, 2019

A total of 32 technical bids were received from 10 companies to operate six airports that are currently under AAI's management, a report said in February 2019.

In November last year, the government had cleared a proposal for managing six AAI-run airports on public-private partnership (PPP) basis. AAI will choose the bidders on the basis of "per-passenger fee".