Civil Aviation

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HT

R1.63 lakh cr scam hits Delhi airport



CAG REPORT Private partner DIAL got ‘undue’ benefits both before and after signing the JV deal



NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor-general of India (CAG) hinted in its report on the Delhi airport modernisation project that the Centre had given out prime land, which would have fetched R1.63 lakh crore, to its private sector partner, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).



The CAG report, accessed by HT, but not yet tabled in Parliament, said the company had got 4,799.09 acres on a R100 annual lease rent for 60 years for an equity contribution of only R1,813 crore. A DIAL spokesperson, however, said, “We aren’t privy to the findings of the report and, therefore, aren’t in a position to respond to it at present.”

What’s more, the operations, management and development deal signed by the Airports Authority of India permitted the company to utilise 5% of the land for commercial exploitation. Consultancy firm Merrill Lynch had worked out the valuation of the land at R100 crore an acre. “So, the total current value of the land available to DIAL… would amount to R24,000 crore,” the report stated.



The CAG said, “The projected earning capacity of this land (239.95 acres), in terms of licence fee over the concession period of 58 years, was indicated by DIAL, itself, as R681.63 crore per acre in a letter to the joint secretary, aviation ministry.”

The auditor also pointed out that the government’s decision to offer a “post-contractual benefit” to DIAL of levying development fees had forced passengers to cough up R3,415.35 crore towards the project cost.



The auditor said the original deal did not mention that part of the project cost would be raised through development fees. It said, if the joint venture was to have the permission to levy the fee, it should have been made known to all the other bidders too.

Delhi airport charges R1,300 and R200 per passenger for international and domestic travel, respectively. Besides, from May 15, DIAL also started charging a user development fee of R436 to R1,068 from international and R195 to R462 from domestic passengers.

The ministry of civil aviation informed the auditor that “the decision to restructure and modernise Delhi airport was a policy decision of the cabinet. The terms and conditions, as well as the modalities, were finalised and approved by the Empowered Group of Ministers.”

Total rip off. Extra $70+ from International passenger. They are day time robbers. Bribe ministers and babus and get whatever rules they want. Already, airport maintenance is down in drain.

Last month, Delhi Airport staff stole my stuff from my suitcase. No action was taken.

Bathrooms are either not operational or knobs are already loose. CSF staff at security are worse than police man with danda. Idiots are lazy, too many people not doing nothing. 7 khaki CSf were doing one person job. Morning 7 am, these guys were fighting with each other, ignoring people are waiting for security clearance and can miss flight. Hey Ho they were busy fighting, that has to be settle first.

As soon as one enters airport, idiots government staff starts begging. Previously, local call were free. Now they charge and one person assigned to each telephone corner. Over staff, under performed, total rip off airport.