Govt gifts our airports’ management ops to foreigners for first time

Singapore's Changi Airport Group will soon start managing Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports, opening up airport management operations for a foreign player for the first time in the country. Singapore's Changi Airport, managed by the group, is considered one of the best and busiest in the world.

The group will be managing the terminal operations and parking at the two airports. Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman R K Srivastava said the modalities with regard to Changi taking over the operation of Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports are being worked out.

According to Srivastava, there would be no concessional agreement in place for the proposed partnership with Changi. AAI, which currently manages the two airports, is also awaiting from the government the official agreement for the proposed partnership. During his visit to Singapore last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the government was exploring the possibility of a collaboration with Changi airport to operate two facilities in India. 

He, however, did not name the airports. Changi would be paid a fee for the management of airports but AAI would not be setting up any special purpose vehicle in this regard as no revenue sharing has been contemplated.

A team from Changi Airport is expected to visit India and hold discussions with AAI officials by end of this month, sources said. In 2014-15, Ahmedabad airport handled 5.05 million passengers, including 1.22 million international travellers.