Surat: It has come to light through RTI application reply that Government of Gujarat borne the expenses of Rs 33 crores for basic infrastructure at Surat Airport for last 18 years. Surat airport has therefore become the first airport in the country whose expenses are borne by state government rather than the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

From the year 2003 to 2021, the cost of Rs 17 crores for electricity, Rs 15 crores for security and Rs 1 crores for water on account of Surat airport were paid by the state government, as per the figures shared by AAI. The expenses of electricity and security are borne by Government of Gujarat and water is facilitated by Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).

Till 2006, the management of Surat Airport was done by Aviation Department of the state. In 2007, the then civil aviation minister Praful Patel had done MoU to increase the air-connectivity of this airport which mentioned that the airport will be occupied by the Central Government but the cost of electricity, water and security will be borne by the state government. AAI informed in an answer to an RTI application that the period under MoU signed between AAI and GoG was 3 years. So, the term of this MoU has ended in 2010 but the costs of basic amnesties are still borne by the state government and SMC. However, the revenue which is generated through the airport goes to AAI and state government doesn’t get any amount of it.

It is to be noted that the expenses of electricity, water and CISF are borne by AAI in Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Vadodara airport despite their passenger growth is less compared to Surat airport. DeshGujarat