Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Airport privatisation

This refers to the opposition of the employees of the Airports Authority of India to the privatisation of airports. It is rather surprising that whenever a move is made to privatise government undertakings such as banks, the insurance sector, and now airports, employees go on strike. Why do they fear privatisation? Is it because government employees have been pampered over the years and find it difficult to adapt to the private sector culture?

S.P. Sharma,
Mumbai

* * *

It is time the striking trade unions adopted a more mature and responsible approach to national affairs. Infrastructure sectors such as airports, ports, and roads are badly in need of upgradation and expansion. By instigating the employees of the Airports Authority of India to strike work, the unions are harming the nation's economy.

V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

The handing over of Delhi and Mumbai airports to private parties for modernisation and operation is scandalous. The strategy of the rich nations to handicap us should not go unopposed.

Hari Bharathi,
Virudhunagar, T.N.

* * *

Those who support the privatisation of Mumbai and Delhi airports do not seem to be aware of the crucial importance of technological and institutional self-reliance in a nation's development.

Until the formation of the International Airport Authority of India in 1972, all civil airports in India (except the princely states before independence) were built and maintained by the Central Public Works Department. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, CPWD engineers carried out the upgradation of the four metro airports on their own, much to the astonishment of experts of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. After the formation of the IAAI, its engineering wing developed enough expertise to stand up to any international competition. When will our politicians and bureaucrats realise that Vivekananda and Einstein, both self-proclaimed socialists, were wiser than Reagan and Thatcher?

S.S. Kaimal,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

It is unfortunate that the privatisation is already mired in controversy. While the employees are opposing it, two unsuccessful bidders are already crying foul. Air traffic is very important and any strike will affect the economy.

A. Ramanathan,
Chennai

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