Wednesday 3 January 2018

More Airport jobs in Rajasthan - by building a new Airport.


New Delhi: In 2008, the government had decided to build a new airport at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Almost a decade and Rs 63.28 crore later, the books are showing meager revenue from passenger movement. The draft audit report accessed by The New Indian Express shows the decision to construct the terminal was purely political, which was camouflaged as “fulfillment of social objective”. The government auditors report drafted after a week-long inspection in October 2017 has recommended that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) must ask the government to give it back the Rs 63.28 crore spent on the almost idle airport.

The completion cost of Jaisalmer Airport include cost of equipment to Rs 4.25 crore at the terminal building like conveyer belt, X-ray baggage machine, electrical installations, CCTV cameras, furniture, fixtures and solar plants, which remain idle. The audit report said the guarantee period of these assets have elapsed, and a depreciation of Rs 23.37 crore on them, including building and apron, has been charged.

“This is indicative of weaknesses in the initial planning and designing of the project and lack of diligence in identification of realistic requirements prior to execution of work. The whole expenditure should be recovered from government of India,” the auditors told AAI.
02/01/18 Yatish Yadav/New Indian Express