Kerala CM flays takeover of Thiruvananthapuram airport by Adani Group

Kerala Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday criticised the takeover of theinternational airport here by the Adani group, saying it wasnot for the development of the facility but to protect theinterest of monopolies.

The move comes at a time when an appeal regarding thetransfer of the airport was pending before the apex court,Vijayan told the state Assembly.

The Centre had violated its assurance given to the stategovernment in this regard, he said during the question hour.

The CM's sharp reaction came a day after the businessgiant had signed the concession agreements with the AirportAuthority of India (AAI) at Delhi for the management,operations and development of the Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahatiand Jaipur airports.

Airportemployees also staged a protest in front of theoffice of the Director here on Tuesday against the takeover.

''The management of the airportis handing over to a groupwho have no prior experience in it. The union government'sstand is to create a special monopoly in this sector accordingto their interest,'' he said.

It was sure that this privatisation was not going to helpthe development of the airport and so the Centre should stepback from its move, he said.

He also urged the union government to hand over themanagement and operation of the Thiruvananthapuram airport tothe state government which had already proved its expertise inthe same.

Besides Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Jaipur airports,the Centre had in February 2019 privatised the Lucknow,Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports.

Vijayan had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modiasking the Centre to reconsider its decision.

As the state government had rendered assistance to theairport wholeheartedly, including providing land on variousstages, the Kerala government had the rightful claim on themanagement and operation of Trivandrum International Airport,Vijayan had stated in the letter.

The state government through its SPV, which participatedin the bidding process, had expressed the willingness to matchthe highest bidder.

The employees, who had staged protest here, said theirSpecial Leave Petition is pending in the Supreme court andwanted to know the reason for the hurry in signing theagreement by the AAI.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)