Delhi International Airport could earn Rs 1,63,557 cr

NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor-General has announced that the GMR-owned Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport, can earn Rs 1,63,557 crore within 60 years from the land allocated to them on a lease rent of Rs 100 per year, impacting the interests of Centre.

A draft report of the audit stated that the contents of a Cabinet note give green signal during 2003 have been 'omitted' by Centre during April 2006 when the Operation Management Development Agreement (OMDA) for Delhi's T3 terminal has been inked in regard to the interests of DIAL.

Moreover, the State Support Agreement (SSA) gives the firm the Right of First Refusal in regard to a second airport, which has been planned within 150-km radius of the airport. The second airport will be decided via a competitive bidding process, in which DIAL is allowed to take part.
The report is critical of levying user charges on passengers, which has not been part of the original pact when the land has been given to the firm.