Letter to BS: Govt's decision on privatising 6 airports comes after 12 yrs

Apropos “6 airports get Centre’s nod for privatisation” by Arindam Majumder (November 9), the development — however late — is heartening. In the face of successful examples of privatised Delhi and Mumbai airports, it is really beyond comprehension that the government needed 12 long years to take this step for six other airports. Why did we have to wait for so long? Anyway, to use the cliched term “better late than never”. Now, we can only hope that the group of secretaries, led by the dynamic Amitabh Kant, will not take too long to decide the contours of the process.

Both Delhi and Mumbai airports have performed spectacularly. Along with Bengaluru and Hyderabad, we now have four truly “world class” airports that have been of proven help in encouraging greater inflow of tourists from within and from other countries. This has added considerably to our foreign exchange earnings and in the creation of jobs. 

Why doesn't the government plan another brave jump and follow the same model for another eight or 10 airports that are in or near cities with major tourist attractions and badly need urgent revamping? Their half measures in the case of Jaipur and Ahmedabad have already failed. I think the government is underestimating the contribution of the increase in tourism to the economy. Hotel chains will automatically follow suit.

Krishan Kalra  Gurugram

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