Kerala: Amidst govt's opposition, mass support gaining for airport privatisation

Even as the ruling CPM-led left front and the main opposition party Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala are vehemently opposing leasing out of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to a private party justifying that they were not against privatisation but only acting as per the people's will, a major section of society seems to be favouring the decision to privatise the airport management and development activities.

Many trade and industry bodies and forums of local residents came out in the open backing the centre's decision to lease out the airport to the Adani group that won the 50-year lease bid. Online campaigns backing the privatisation was also receiving much support.

Those backing the privatisation were expressing hopes that the private management would initiate proactive measures for improving domestic and international connectivity of the airport and would spruce up the amenities of the airport. Presently the airport's direct connectivity was limited only to Gulf countries, Singapore, Maldives and Colombo, while there is considerable demand for connectivity to European and American countries. Similarly, direct domestic connectivity of the airport was also limited to major cities only.

According to an online petition already signed by nearly 6,000 people, no political parties or employees union protested when almost five airlines have stopped their services from Thiruvananthapuram airport. Nobody raised their voice when the airport was charging exorbitant user fee from passengers. Nobody even bothered to raise their voice for better infrastructure, especially for our domestic terminal. Elected representatives should work towards the development of our city by understanding the voice of the people and not for their vested political interests.

Kerala government was also accused of maintaining a double stand on privatisation as the Kochi international airport, as well as the Kannur international airport in Kerala, are run by PPP model companies with state government participation.

Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor was among those who backed the airport privatisation, while the Congress joined hands with the ruling CPM in passing a resolution against handing over airport to a private party.

The major concern of the Kerala government was not over airport privatisation, but about the 625-acre land that was acquired by the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family and state government over the years and handed over to the centre.

Hence the government mooted handing over the airport management to a PPP model special purpose vehicle with state government equity participation by evaluating the land's value. Though the SPV participated in the bidding it quoted a fee of only Rs. 135 per passenger, while the Adani Group quoted Rs. 162.

However, the centre had clarified that the airport's ownership was not being handed over to the private party, but only its development and management was being leased out for 50 years.