Let Adani run the airport

The Supreme Court's decision to allow the Adani Group to run the airport has put a stop to all the confusion around the Thiruvananthapuram airport. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by the state government and the Airport Authority Employees Union questioning the handing over the operation of the airport to Adani Enterprises Limited.

The government had already proved that it is not capable of successfully managing air services and airports. We have seen the central government, which ran Air India for several years, finally selling it to Tata after incurring huge losses. It is a huge business lesson for us. Perhaps Air India would have developed into a top-tier service if it had not been nationalised at that time. The government, which lacks business acumen, is demonstrating through numerous examples that it cannot monopolise any industry and make it successful. Most of the airports and mineral mining across the world are managed by private companies. It requires the most modern technology and professionalism. There are a lot of formalities in the government sector to get things done. If the government dares to run sectors like this, then it will only end up incurring huge losses. Following this, the government will be forced to compensate for these losses using tax money. In this age where the world is advancing at maximum speed, we have no time to waste on experiments. It will be good if the government can play a supervisory role in many things.

The Supreme Court, which ordered that the Thiruvananthapuram airport can be managed by the Adani Group, clarified that it is not acceptable for the state to question the transfer after accepting the terms of the lease and participating in the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation tender. The SC bench comprised Justice UU Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi.

Regardless of who manages the airport, what matters most to the people are the financial and service benefits they obtain from it. Every service, even parking, will require payment from customers. The airport's prosperity hinges on who offers the greatest service at the lowest price. By that logic, if the airport is run by the Adani Group, both Thiruvananthapuram and the airport will profit. These organisations have the power to draw travellers from all around the world, helping Kerala advance in the tourism industry. Regardless of who operates the airport, it is ultimately the residents of Thiruvananthapuram who should gain. Therefore, the government should take a proactive stance in favour of the growth and advancement of the airport. The notion that the government should handle everything is a thing of the past. It is time to let it go.