"Several complaints have been received by us, some by name and other anonymous. We have marked them to the appropriate authorities for examination," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.
He said the "issues" raised in Lok Sabha by Left parties regarding the bidding process "will be studied, and if anything is found objectionable, they will be considered".
The Left parties have demanded scrapping of the entire bidding process alleging linkages between the officially-appointed advisors and certain bidders.
Asked to comment on the Left demand, Patel said the process was still on and no final shape had been given to it as yet.
"There are different stages of evaluation," he said, hinting at the Inter-Ministerial Group of officials, the Government Review Committee as well as the empowered Group of Ministers.
"The process of restructuring and modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports is based on transparent procedures. It has also gone through considerable consultation process. The best professional consultants were appointed by AAI after inviting bids for this purpose," Patel said.
Regarding the allegations made by the Left MPs on the links between the official advisors and the bidders, he said, "Many complaints have been received by us and we have referred them to various concerned agencies ... The process is not
complete as yet. It would go through various levels of Inter-Ministerial Group, Review Committee and the empowered Group of Ministers".
"I assure you that we will ensure full transparency in the process and take decisions in the best interests of the AAI as well as the nation", the Minister said.
Allaying apprehensions of the Left parties, he asserted that AAI would "neither be sold off, nor be privatised" as it was the "torch-bearer" of running airports across the country.
There would be no job loss for AAI employees at these two airports, who would either be absorbed by the new joint venture companies or taken back by AAI after mandatory completion of three years in the JV firms.
The bidders would be given additional weightage if they give higher absorption rate for the workers, the Minister said, adding "this is a change in approach vis-à-vis that adopted by the erstwhile (NDA) government".
He said the alternative proposal for modernising the two airports, submitted by AAI Employees Joint Forum, would be considered along with those of the other bidders. The FDI cap for these two airports had also been reduced from 74 per cent proposed by NDA to 49, Patel added.
