Even as the Adani Airports Holding Limited (AAHL) has sought more time from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to commence the two-month-long observation of the operations of Thiruvananthapuram international airport as part of its takeover, the group has posted key officials to head operations under the new dispensation.
The extension of the observation period by two to three months has been demanded, citing the force majeure clause due to the prevailing pandemic situation and lack of commercial flight operations in the domestic and international sectors. The AAI board is meeting this month-end in New Delhi to look into the request of the AAHL, sources said. The AAHL had also asked for a similar extension for Guwahati and Jaipur airports. The AAI had earlier given approval to the request of the AAHL when it sought an extension of the observation period for Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Mangluru airports that was privatised by the AAI.
The move comes amidst pending cases in the Supreme Court against the handing over of the operations, management and development of the international airport in the capital through public-private partnership mode for 50 years.
