New Delhi (16/10/2019): Today, a large number of workers from the Airport Authority of India gathered at Jantar Mantar to get the government back to their senses as according to them, privatization of Indian Airports will impact badly on the pocket of travellers.
Civil Aviation Department had been managing Indian Airports for a long time. During that era there was little trust on Airport infrastructure as the air travel was largely confined to elite class with other categories of population were contended with watching an aircraft flying or coming close to an airport.
Since airport infrastructure was not growing with the pace of development in aviation activities all over the world, the Government of India transferred four international Airports to IAAI in April 1972 and later in 1985 NM was also carved out of DGCA, who was left with regulatory functions only. With aviation sector growing at a rapid pace, the Government of India integrated both IAAI and NAA into a new body.
According to the Convenor of Union of Airport Authority of India, Balraj, ‘Privatization is not the cure for many ills, when the organization is already earning a sizeable profit and giving handsome amount as a dividend to GOI without any budgetary support.’
