4.7.19

Adani Group to run three airports

Airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru will now be run by the Adani Group in public-private partnership, like the Metro ones in Mumbai and Delhi, for the next 50 years, a government statement said.

The Modi-I government had decided to lease out six airports — Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Trivandrum, Lucknow and Guwahati — for 50 years to run them in PPP mode. AAI had invited bids for them in December 2018 and Gautam Adani’s Adani Group had emerged as the highest bidder for all the six. Asked why only a decision on three airports was taken when bidding had been completed for six, Union minister Prakash Javadekarsaid: “Process is complete (for these three places). Wait for next (meaning Cabinet will consider them when their process is complete).”

Speaking about the approval for leasing out of the three airports, the statement said, “These projects will bring efficiency in delivery, expertise,enterprise and professionalism, apart from harnessing needed investments in public sector. This will also result in enhanced revenues to the AAI, which may lead to further investment by AAI in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, and economic development in these areas in terms of job creation and related infrastructure.”

The move to lease out the six was the second big round for privatising airports after Delhi and Mumbai were handed out to private players, over a decade ago.

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