The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has posted C.V. Ravindran as the new director of the Thiruvananthapuram international airport.
Mr. Ravindran, now Joint General Manager, Electrical, Mangaluru airport, will take charge as the director of the city airport next week. He succeeds George G. Tharakan who was transferred to Kolkata three months ago.
Mr. Ravindran, who hails from Kannur, is assuming charge when the government is striving to participate in the bidding to select a private player for the management, maintenance, and development of the airport, following the Centre’s decision to privatise it along with five other airports.
Employees’ protest
The AAI employees under the banner of Airports Authority Employees Union (AAEU) are agitating here against the privatisation move.
Since December 4, the AAEU has been organising a dharna every afternoon. Its branch secretary S. Ajith Kumar said the employees wanted the airport to be retained with the AAI. “We will look into legal measures too,” he added.
Following the privatisation move, local people are also up in arms against acquiring land for the airport. This will be a challenge for the new director.
SPV plans
The State had been demanding that the airport be exempted from the privatisation process or that it be allowed to manage the airport through a special purpose vehicle. The State has initiated steps to float the SPV, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL). It will be registered as a private limited company, with the Chief Secretary as the Chairman and the Principal Secretary, Transport, and the Principal Secretary, Finance, as the members of the first board of directors. The initial authorised share capital is ₹10 lakh and paid up capital, ₹5 lakh.
Legal consultant
The Cabinet has appointed M/s Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as legal consultant to expedite steps to participate in the bidding.
The last date for submission of bids is February 14 and the opening of the technical bids is on February 16. The Letter of Award will be issued on February 28.
