Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, Jun 8: Adani Enterprises is likely to receive the contract for running six airports in the country. This contract will also include Mangaluru, and is likely to begin in July.

Adani Enterprises had earlier bid to run six Indian airports before the election. However, there was a lot of delay in procedures and paperwork by the government as a result of election. As per the aviation ministry, the contract will receive approval by the cabinet in July. The corporate giant will then be ready to take over the business from July itself.

In November last year, the government approved a proposal for managing six AAI (Airports Authority of India) run airports on a public-private partnership basis. The government had received 32 technical bids from ten companies. Adani won the bid for running six airports for the next 50 years. As per the ministry, with the privatization of Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, and Mangaluru airports, the AAI will receive Rs 1,300 crore per year. The amount received will be utilized for the development of other airports in India.

The ministry further clarified that employees of the new privatized airports can either join the Adani Enterprises or can continue as AAI staffs.

Speaking to Daijiworld, a senior staff of Mangaluru International Airport said, "We are opposing the privatization of the airport. The authorities have not yet given clear instructions on our employment. Even the higher officials of AAI do not have a clear idea about what will happen. Over 90 percent of employees here are not in the favour of privatization. They are aware that once it goes private, there will be a lot of changes. A lot would depend on their business setup. There are chances they would reduce pay scale or even downsize. In the corporate world, local interests are not prioritized. It would purely run as a corporate entity."