Adani Group has received operational, management, and development responsibilities of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. At a midnight event, Ramesh Kumar, Airport Director of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), handed over the symbolic key of the airport to Utpal Baruah, Chief Airport Officer of the new airport operator, kicking off the process of developing and modernising the Northeast's foremost airport. In 2018, the Indian government included the Guwahati airport in a group of six airports slated for privatisation for Operations, Management, and Development (OMD) for 50 years: Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangalore, Jaipur, and Thiruvananthapuram. All six airports were awarded to Adani Enterprise Limited, which was the winning bidder. The AAI and Adani Enterprise Limited signed a concession agreement on January 19 this year in New Delhi. The new airport operator, Adani Guwahati International Airport Limited (AGIAL), will take over the operations, management, and development responsibilities of Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport starting Friday, according to a statement. The charge handover moment was witnessed by several airport staff and officers with their families, amidst the sonorous traditional tune of taal-khol and Bihu, in the presence of the Adani Group's representatives. The AAI's employees will provide support to the new airport operator for the first three years. Kumar expressed his congratulations to the new operator and pledged his support during the initial stages. According to the statement, Baruah appealed to everyone at the airport, as well as the general public, for unwavering support in making the airport a world-class facility that will bring pride to the country. Image Source Also read: AAI approves privatisation of 13 more airports