New Delhi, Aug 19 - The government Wednesday justified its stand on collecting airport development fee (ADF) from passengers departing from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport and told the Delhi High Court that it was well within law.

Appearing for the government, Solicitor General Gopal Subrahmaniam submitted before a division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan that 'development of airports is a private initiative and therefore charging fees is not wrong and well within the law.

'The airport is to develop the area surrounding it and the existing Airport Authority Act allows various airports to charge the ADF,' he added.

Appearing for Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), senior counsel Harish Salve contented: 'If passengers are using the facilities at the airport which is developed by the airport then why can't fees be levied on the passengers?

'When we can charge the airline companies for using landing, housing and parking facilities then why can't we charge the passengers for using the other services at the airport,' Salve added, citing various provisions of the Airport Act and justifying the fees as well within the law.