The Hindu Business Line : Plan afoot to develop 10 existing airports thru pvt participation

The Government is planning to bring in international consultants with experience in the development of airports overseas to work in association with AAI for developing domestic airports.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Aug. 5

THE Centre is in the process of identifying around 10 existing airports for development through private participation.

One of the airports being considered for private involvement is the Thiruvananthapuram international airport, according to Mr K. Roy Paul, Union Civil Aviation Secretary.

He said at a meet-the-press programme here that the idea was to tap the large commercial potential available in the airports through private participation. This could not be termed as privatisation as functions such as air traffic control and security would continue to be under the management of the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

He pointed out that around 60 per cent of the revenue at most of the airports around the world was being generated from non-aeronautical areas. In India too, there was tremendous potential for such revenue and this had to be tapped.

In this context, he said the Government was also planning to bring in international consultants with experience in the development of airports overseas to work in association with AAI for developing domestic airports.

In reply to a question about the possibility of Air India starting more international flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Mr Paul, who is also the Chairman of Air India, said the airline was constrained by shortage of aircraft.

The airline was trying to get more aircraft and the Government would take a decision in this regard in the next few months, he added.

He informed that the road-shows held for inviting private participation in the development of the four metro airports in the country had drawn good response, with those involved with airports such as Frankfurt, Paris, Copenhagen, Heathrow and Singapore having shown interest.

Referring to the development plans for the Thiruvananthapuram airport, he pointed out that this could be carried out if sufficient land could be acquired by the State Government.

Though the original plan was to acquire 230 acres of land, this was subsequently brought down to 130 acres.

As it stood today, only 14 acres had been acquired for the implementation of the first phase of the development whereas the original plan was to acquire 69 acres for this phase.

One of the reasons was the poor financial position of the State Government, he said.

However, the development of the airport would be taken up shortly with steel structures and pre-fabricated components which could be retrieved while going in for larger development later, he said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section
Plan afoot to develop 10 existing airports thru pvt participation

Major ports notch up 10 pc growth in Q1

Kolkata port calls tender for Hooghly dredging work

Trailer owners call strike on Aug 8, 9 — Chennai port faces disruption