Handing over of Jaipur, Ahmedabad airports to Changi surprising: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress tonight described as "surpising and shocking" the decision to open up Jaipur and Ahmedabad airports to Singapore's Changi Airport Group for management operations and asked whether Airports Authority of India was taken into confidence.

Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in tweets said "the manner in which profitable airports of Ahmedabad and Jaipur have been handed over to Changi is surprising and shocking."

He also questioned why due process that encourages competition was avoided in handing over of airports.

"Why due process which encourages the handover of these airports? Was AAI was taken into confidence?" he said in his tweets.

Yesterday, it was announced that Singapore's Changi Airport Group will soon start managing Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports.

The group would be managing the terminal operations and parking at the two airports.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman R K Srivastava had said the modalities with regard to Changi taking over the operation of Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports are being worked out.

AAI, which currently manages the two airports, is also awaiting from the government the official agreement for the proposed partnership.

In 2014-15, Ahmedabad airport handled 5.05 million passengers, including 1.22 million international travellers. During the corresponding period, Jaipur airport handled 2.20 million passengers, of them 0.33 million overseas people.

By 2023-24, the volume of passengers at Ahmedabad is expected to go up to 6.77 million, and Jaipur 3.75 million.