AAI Received Around Rs 3,245 Crore From 'Private Partners' Of Six Leased Out Airports: Govt

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has received around Rs 3,245 crore from the private partners of Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru airports, the government informed the Parliament on Monday (3 April).

These six airports were awarded for Operations, Management and Development under Public Private Partnership (PPP) for a lease period of 50 years.

The airports were won by the Adani group through a competitive bidding process, reports Economic Times.

"Private Partners of Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru airports have paid approximately Rs 896 crore to AAI as Per Passenger Fee (PPF) till February 2023. AAI has also received an amount of approximately Rs 2349 crore from the Private Partners of these six airports in the form of upfront fee towards the capital expenditure incurred by AAI at these airports," Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation General (Retired) V K Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

Mangaluru and Ahmedabad airports were awarded in 2020 while the airports in Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Guwahati were awarded in 2021.

The minister further said that the fees and charges at Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Guwahati airports have not changed since taking over the airports by the new operator.

The minister added that the AAI had leased out Mumbai Airport in 2006.

"Till 16 March 2023, AAI has received Annual Fee of more than Rs 13,000 crore as Revenue share from the private partners of Mumbai Airport," he said.