Demanding the abolition of development fees at private airports, the CPI-M said on Wednesday it was a 'huge scam', in which air travellers were being forced to pay for privatising airports in the country.

"It is a huge scam. . . . The CPI-M has been opposing this. The Parliamentary Standing Committee, of which I am the chairman, has also all along opposed it," Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said.

He said the public-private participation route, pursued by the Planning Commission, was 'disastrous as finally the burden falls on the people'.

"The private parties are unable to meet the costs and are being allowed by the government to charge development fees. So, the passenger is paying the cost of privatising an airport," Yechury said and asked why the people should pay to help private parties.

He demanded the abolition of the development fees or the airport user charges.

Such fees are now being charged at three private airports -- Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

The government has allowed the GVK Group-led Mumbai International Airport Ltd to become the fourth airport operator to levy the fee from April 1.