Employees protest at TVM airport against takeover by Adani Group

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 19 PTIEmployees of theInternational airport here raised slogans and protested infront of the office of the Director on Tuesday against thetakeover of the airport by the Adani Group.The protestwasheld hours after the Adani Groupsigned concession agreements at Delhi on Tuesday with theAirports Authority of India AAI for the management,operations and development of the Thiruvananthapuram,Guwahati, Jaipur airports.The employees said their Special LeavePetition is pending in the Supreme court and wanted to knowthe reason for the hurry in signing the agreement by the AAI.Now the governmenthas decided to handover theairport to Adani.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 19 (PTI):Employees of theInternational airport here raised slogans and protested infront of the office of the Director on Tuesday against thetakeover of the airport by the Adani Group.

The protestwasheld hours after the Adani Groupsigned concession agreements at Delhi on Tuesday with theAirports Authority of India (AAI) for the management,operations and development of the Thiruvananthapuram,Guwahati, Jaipur airports.

The employees said their Special LeavePetition is pending in the Supreme court and wanted to knowthe reason for the hurry in signing the agreement by the AAI.

''Now the governmenthas decided to handover theairport to Adani. Now, what about the employees? Will they besold to Adani as well? What if the employees, who wererecruited by the Airports Authority of India are asked to workunder Adani and they refuse? '' they asked.

''There is no reason to sell this airport, butjust to help the businessman..AAI has been giving crores oftax to the GoI,'' they said.

Delhi and Mumbai were the major source of incomefor the AAI.

''However, the private management there, with thebacking of a court order, are not sharing their income withthe GOI, citing COVID-19 pandemic.. What if other airportsalsodo the same?'' they asked.

Besides the three airports, the Centre had inFebruary 2019 privatised the Lucknow, Ahmedabad andMangaluru airports.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written toPrime Minister Narendra Modi asking the Centre to reconsiderits decision.

As the state government had rendered assistance tothe airport wholeheartedly, including providing land onvarious stages, the Kerala government had the rightful claimon the management and operation of Trivandrum InternationalAirport,Vijayan had stated in the letter.

The state government through its SPV,which participated in the bidding process, had expressed thewillingness to match the highest bidder.PTI UDBNWELCOME UDBNWELCOME