What is the point of bringing in the private sector for developing infrastructure (‘Government gives DIAL Rs 1,827 crore bonanza’, February 10) if the government has to continue to finance everything. The company was not able to raise the kind of advance deposits on the land it wanted to put on rent, and so the government allowed it to levy a tax on passengers. A tax which does not have to be shared with anyone else — the User Development Fee levied in Bangalore and Hyderabad has to be shared with the government while the Airport Development Fee (ADF) does not have to be shared. Is this ADF to be compensated to the passengers later; or does DIAL get to keep the ADF funds now, and then feel free to raise money from the land deposits when the real estate market improves?
Shanti Singh, New Delhi
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