Date:11/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/05/11/stories/2006051103900100.htm

Back When will things change at Delhi, Mumbai airports?

Our Bureau

It is still early days, says new management

New Delhi , May 10

It is business as usual at the Delhi and Mumbai airports which passed into private hands earlier this week with airline officials and passengers still to feel any change in their travel experiences.

"Some cosmetic changes have come about in Delhi but there has been no perceptible improvement. The change in management has not resulted in any change in the officials who were managing the airports under the old regime and passengers are still going through the same inconveniences that they were experiencing earlier," a senior official of a low cost airline said.

The management of the two metro airports passed into private hands at mid-night May 3.

However, speaking on behalf of the new companies that have taken over the airports, an official said, "It is early days. Still, the joint venture company is working to ensure that there is improvement in areas where the passengers come into direct contact with the airport facilities. For instance, toilets in all the terminals are being renovated, the baggage retrieval system is being made more efficient, efforts are on to ensure optimal utilisation of x-ray machines, parking is made easier and touts are being removed."

Industry analysts feel it would be unfair to expect the private sector to make changes almost over night at the two airports especially since till July this year the private sector partner would be a mere `observer' at both airports. Besides, there is a reluctance to make any significant investments till the Supreme Court clears the matter.

The apex Court is expected to deliver its judgment on a special leave petition filed by Reliance Airport Developers Ltd which is challenging the Government decision to award the contract to the modernise Delhi and Mumbai airports to the GMR and GVK groups respectively.

Sources also said that once the modernisation process takes off, the two companies would draw up a road map, discuss it with the Government and, after thrashing out a plan, will go ahead full steam. Till then, passengers can expect little change in their airport experiences.