 "CITU opposes privatization of Kolkata, Chennai airports")
New Delhi: Major Left trade union CITU opposed the government’s moves to privatise the management of Kolkata and Chennai airports, saying it would allow private players to “make undue profit out of public resources”.
The government should “refrain from de facto privatisation of these premier remunerative airports in view of its serious repercussions”, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) said.[caption id=“attachment_873997” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Against privatization. AFP[/caption]
“The track record of private operators in Delhi and Mumbai airports and their bungling in levying much higher user development charges vis-a-vis the AAI-managed airports, have thoroughly exposed the pitfalls of allowing private players in crucial infrastructure projects involving public interest,” CITU general secretary Tapan Sen said.
In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, he said it could not be understood why private players were being inducted when AAI has already invested over Rs 4,000 crore in modernising and developing these two major metro airports.
“At this juncture, inducting a private player in this job obviously means allowing them to make undue profit out of public resources,” Sen, also a Rajya Sabha MP, wrote.
He charged the government with flouting an agreement of a tripartite committee, comprising representatives of the government, AAI and employees unions. The agreement underlined that the next phase of modernisation of 60 airports, including Kolkata and Chennai, would be done by AAI.
“The Ministry of Civil Aviation has already accepted this recommendation. …. what makes the government or the ministry to make an about-turn from the committee’s unanimous recommendation particularly when large investments have already been made?” he said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsQuoting reports that global bids for privatising the managements of these two airports would be floated soon, Sen said AAI employees would organise protests across the country on the issue on 21 June.
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