In a significant development, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to change the operator of the Chennai airport. Unhappy with a few aspects of the airport, the State has asked the Centre to bring in an operator other than the Airports Authority of India (AAI), sources said.

In the letter sent in August, the State government has said Tamil Nadu has been industry-friendly, making consistent efforts to attract business and investment; hence, better management of the airport is of paramount importance, sources said. “The letter has highlighted that be it passenger volume, aircraft movement, or cargo volume, the Chennai airport needs significant improvement. Such a business-friendly State needs an excellent airport. The State government hence wants a change in the operator,” a source said.

The move, essentially an attempt to privatise the airport, comes on the heels of the State’s decision to drop the proposed greenfield airport project at Parandur in Kancheepuram district and its plans to expand the existing airport. “We have sent the letter. Now, we hope the Centre takes it up on priority and initiates work to privatise the airport,” another source said.

The State has shortlisted two sites — Cheyyur and Gummidipoondi — for the second airport. However, since it will take several years to build it, the immediate priority seems to be not only to expand the existing airport but also to privatise it.

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Air passengers have been demanding the privatisation of the airport for long, arguing that it will bring in better upkeep, connectivity to more destinations, and enhanced ambience. Their displeasure also stems from the fact that some of the infrastructure projects, such as the cab pick-up point, were inordinately delayed before they were opened and that the T3 Terminal is still under construction.

Many significant decisions have to be vetted by the AAI headquarters in New Delhi and this process consumes time, thus affecting the operations of the airport, though a lot of efforts is being made by the airport staff, the sources said.