Parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture has recommended setting up of an 'Airports Economic Regulatory Authority'
NEW DELHI: Parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture has recommended setting up of an 'Airports Economic Regulatory Authority' (AERA) to monitor performance standards of airports and regulate tariff and other charges for aeronautical services rendered at airports.
The panel report, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, also recommended setting up of an appellate tribunal to adjudicate disputes and dispose of appeals.
The committee felt that "development fees fixed by the AERA should not dampen passenger demand. Making air travel expensive by such development fees will have significant effect on the overall economy, especially on the tourism, commerce and hospitality sectors. The proposed regulator will play a positive and critical role in determining development fees".
Committee chairman Sitaram Yechury said the Authority should have jurisdiction over non-aeronautical services as well. He said there were complaints that some private players were renting out airport premises for shops. "Who will regulate use of the area? The ultimate authority of the government cannot be diluted," he said.
Yechury said the Karnataka high court had taken cognisance of the committee's earlier recommendations and ruled that the existing airport at Bangalore should not be shut even after opening the new airport.
The panel also recommended that fuel supply infrastructure should be brought under the purview of the AERA bill. The committee also observed that the AAI did not have any fixed performance standards for passengers or the efficiency of the airports.
The bill currently covers only major airports, handling 1.5 million or more passengers per annum. The committee said it does not find any reason to exclude the 116 odd airports from the purview of the present bill.
It said the AERA's ambit should be expanded to cover all airports used for the operation of commercial flights irrespective of their size, ownership or throughput of passengers.
k_benedict@dnaindia.net
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