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Stop privatisation of Delhi, Mumbai airports: CPI (M)

Special Correspondent

Modernisation on a fast track route suggested

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday demanded that the Government immediately stop the privatisation exercise of the Delhi and Mumbai airports and examine the report by an Airport Authority of India committee suggesting modernisation on a fast-track route.

"The IMG [Inter-Ministerial Group] and the eGOM [empowered Group of Ministers], formed for this purpose should instead examine the report of the Committee headed by Member (Finance) so that the AAI is permitted to take up the modernisation process on a fast track route, with more autonomy to commercial use of land, as is being permitted to private bidders; technical dispensations at part with Delhi Metro and National Highways Authority," party Rajya Sabha member Dipankar Mukherjee said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a copy of which was released to the media.

Mr. Mukherjee drew attention to reports that technical bids of two consortia fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria on the technical parameters set for the bidders and in the eventuality the two consortia would take one airport each since the Government has decided not to allow any single bidder to take control of both these airports. Reminding Dr. Singh of his own observations in the Rajya Sabha as the Leader of the Opposition in 2001 he said that given the nature of the country's parliamentary system — having only one or two bidders — problems were bound to arise.

He said that in the present case the scenario became "murkier" when the partner of one of the consortia reportedly selected for the bid is Mexico airport, ranked 119 in the survey of world's best managed airports in 2005 when the AAI-managed Mumbai airport was ranked 120 by the same survey last year.

"This speaks for itself that the objective of world class airport had hardly any role in the one point agenda of privatisation," he said expressing apprehension that relaxation in the eligibility criteria could be resorted to, to accommodate more consortia so as to avoid adverse reaction to a single-bid scenario.

He said permitted commercial lease of 5 per cent land in Delhi and 10 per cent in Mumbai has apparently encouraged some "fly-by-night" operators.

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