The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Sunday handed over the Lucknow airport to the Adani group on lease for a period of 50 years. The AAI had handed over the Mangaluru airport to the group on October 30 at midnight. The central government in February 2019 privatised six major airports of the country, located in Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati.
After a competitive bidding process, the Adani group won the rights to run all of them for 50 years.
“On November 2, 2020, at 00:00 midnight, AAI’s senior officials exchanged Memorandum & handed over Lucknow Airport @aailkoapt to @AdaniOnline,” the AAI said on Twitter.
“Shri A.K Sharma, APD (Airport Director), Lucknow exchanged symbolic key in accordance with concession agreement & future development,” it added.
The AAI had signed concession agreements with the Adani group on February 14 for operations, management, and development of the Mangaluru, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad airports.
On October 22, the AAI said in a press release that the Adani group would be taking over the airports at Mangaluru, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad by October 31, November 2, and November 11, respectively.
The concession agreements for the other three airports – Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram – were signed between both the parties in September.