Chennai, Sept 19:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has reportedly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a change in the operator of Chennai airport.
The Chief Minister is said to have urged the Centre to hand over the airport’s management to an operator other than the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
According to a report published in an English daily, the Chief Minister wrote to Modi in August, expressing the State government’s concerns over certain shortcomings in the present functioning of Chennai airport. The government has taken the position that changes are required in the airport’s administration to improve its overall functioning.
In the letter, Vijay reportedly pointed out that Tamil Nadu continues to be a major destination for industrial investments and that world-class airport infrastructure and management are important for supporting industrial and investment growth.
The State government has particularly highlighted three areas requiring improvement at Chennai airport — passenger handling, aircraft operations and cargo handling capacity. The government has reportedly sought an operator capable of strengthening these aspects and meeting the growing requirements of the State.
The proposal involves replacing the present operator, AAI, with another agency. According to the report, the move could pave the way for private-sector participation in the operation and management of Chennai airport.
The development comes in the backdrop of the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to drop the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur in Kancheepuram district. The proposal to change the operator of the existing Chennai airport is being viewed in that context, as the State seeks to strengthen the present airport’s infrastructure and operations.
The State government’s request will now have to be considered by the Centre, as Chennai airport is operated by AAI. Any change in its operating arrangement would require the necessary approvals and follow the applicable procedures.