New Delhi: The modernisation of Chennai and Kolkata airports will be delayed as the two airports no longer figure on the Government’s list of airports to be modernised through the public-private partnership route. At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sometime back, it was decided that the airports in Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Guwahati will be upgraded through the PPP route during 2014-15. This is a deviation from the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government’s decision to modernise six airports: Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Guwahati through the PPP route.
The UPA Government, which started the modernisation process in September 2013, hoped to award the contracts before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls kicked in. But the process was stalled due to differences between the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Civil Aviation on the model concession agreement for taking forward the projects.
Senior government officials, however, caution that one shouldn’t read too much into the present PM’s decision. Officials indicated that a supplementary list with more airports could be firmed up, although, no time line has been fixed yet for this list.
29/09/14 Business Line
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The UPA Government, which started the modernisation process in September 2013, hoped to award the contracts before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls kicked in. But the process was stalled due to differences between the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Civil Aviation on the model concession agreement for taking forward the projects.
Senior government officials, however, caution that one shouldn’t read too much into the present PM’s decision. Officials indicated that a supplementary list with more airports could be firmed up, although, no time line has been fixed yet for this list.
29/09/14 Business Line
