State govt to hire legal consultant
TNN | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 00:05 ISTThiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to appoint law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as legal consultancy to help form a consortium which can participate in the bid for Trivandrum International Airport.
According to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the government decided to participate in the bid invited by Airport Authority of India (AAI) for leasing out the airport because they do not want it to be privatized.
“The state government is opposed to the decision to privatize Trivandrum International Airport and the Union government has been informed about it. We have also demanded the Union government to handover the airport. But, the Centre is moving forward with privatization of airport and has invited bids from private sector. The cabinet meeting decided to appoint the legal consultancy firm to form a consortium and to participate in the bidding process to lease out Trivandrum International Airport,” said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The cabinet also decided to entrust a committee with chief secretary as chairman and principal secretary of financial department, principal secretary of transport department and secretary of legal department as members, for appointment of technical cum financial consultancy as general consultancy to participate in the bid.
Citing the agreement with the civil aviation ministry, which states that the state government will be given stakes on the value of land provided for the airport, Vijayan said, “There is a legal issue when the Trivandrum airport is handed over on lease, as the state government had provided the land free of cost for the airport. The decision to privatize the airport is being taken when the state government is providing all support for airport development. The steps regarding the allotment of 18 acres to airport are in progress,” added Vijayan.
Trivandrum International Airport started functioning in 257.9 acres provided by Travancore royal family. The state government allotted 32.56 acres for its development and the allotment of another 18 acres in Vayyamoola area is in progress.
According to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the government decided to participate in the bid invited by Airport Authority of India (AAI) for leasing out the airport because they do not want it to be privatized.
“The state government is opposed to the decision to privatize Trivandrum International Airport and the Union government has been informed about it. We have also demanded the Union government to handover the airport. But, the Centre is moving forward with privatization of airport and has invited bids from private sector. The cabinet meeting decided to appoint the legal consultancy firm to form a consortium and to participate in the bidding process to lease out Trivandrum International Airport,” said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The cabinet also decided to entrust a committee with chief secretary as chairman and principal secretary of financial department, principal secretary of transport department and secretary of legal department as members, for appointment of technical cum financial consultancy as general consultancy to participate in the bid.
Citing the agreement with the civil aviation ministry, which states that the state government will be given stakes on the value of land provided for the airport, Vijayan said, “There is a legal issue when the Trivandrum airport is handed over on lease, as the state government had provided the land free of cost for the airport. The decision to privatize the airport is being taken when the state government is providing all support for airport development. The steps regarding the allotment of 18 acres to airport are in progress,” added Vijayan.
Trivandrum International Airport started functioning in 257.9 acres provided by Travancore royal family. The state government allotted 32.56 acres for its development and the allotment of another 18 acres in Vayyamoola area is in progress.
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