NEW DELHI: The government should ensure that the development of infrastructure at airports is cost-effective and the cost of travel remains within the reach of the common man, a Parliamentary panel has recommended while voting against the concept of “gold plating” of airports.
Gold plating refers to incorporating expensive costly features or refinements that tend to push up the project cost.
The panel headed by Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar suggested that user charges should remain affordable and competitive.
“India is a developing country and passengers are price conscious. In our national civil aviation policy, affordability and sustainability have been emphasised by the government. The committee observes that maximum people use the airports just for travel, do the baggage check-in, get their baggage on arrival and leave. Other peripherals cannot be given that much importance as could rather be given to the passenger service,” the panel said in its report tabled in Rajya Sabha.
While the airport terminals need to be comfortable and facilitate a smoother and hassle-free journey, they need not be overly opulent, and gold plating of airports by the private operators should be avoided, it added.