West Bengal assembly adopts motion against airport privatisation

KOLKATA: West Bengal assembly today adopted a resolution under Rule 185 protesting against the proposed privatisation of N S C Bose International Airport in the city.

Moving the resolution, Parliamentary Affairs minister Partha Chatterjee said the airport was one of its kind as it had been modernised by the government at a cost of Rs 2700 crore.

Unlike airports of Mumbai and Delhi which were developed under the PPP model, the city airport was owned by the government and operated by state-owned Airports Authority of India ( AAI) and the services are also of the same standard.

Chatterjee said the centre's move to rope in a private operator by floating a tender earlier could not be accepted and protests at all levels would be held.

Leader of Opposition Surya Kant Mishra echoed the same tone and said privatisation of the Kolkata airport was not acceptable.

Lone BJP member in the House, Shamik Bhattacharya who wanted to speak on the issue was disallowed by Speaker Biman Banerjee.