The government is openly coming out without any shame or cover to hand over the profitable airports to the private operators. The Civil Aviation Department has called for bids from private to run eight profitable airports which are now under the Airport Authority of India. These include Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Ahmedabad etc. which are profitable. Further, recently all these airports have been modernised by the AAI with its own funds. Now, they are going to be handed over to private under the PPP scheme.
The most profitable airports, Mumbai and Delhi have already been privatised. The other airports with AAI are mainly small ones and mostly on loss. AAI was maintaining its operations with the profit of the major airports. Now, what will happen to AAI is to be seen.
The employees of AAI have opposed the transfer, but the government is moving fast to complete the deal before the General elections.
Shame on the government for its anti-people and anti-PSU decisions.