Nishar Mohammed
Port Blair, Apr 22: The Island Joint Auto Unions Federation has sought permission for autorickshaws to enter the Port Blair Airport Terminal to drop off passengers. In a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman District and the Airport Director/Terminal Manager of the Airport Authority of India in Port Blair, the federation highlighted the challenges faced by passengers due to the current restrictions.
Since the inauguration of the new international terminal building, Veer Savarkar International Airport, air traffic in the islands has surged. Thousands of passengers now travel through the terminal daily. However, many passengers, especially during early morning hours, rely on autorickshaws for transportation to the airport due to the limited availability of cabs, cars, or taxis.
The federation notes that despite reaching the airport entrance, passengers in autorickshaws are barred from entering the terminal to drop off late-arriving passengers for check-in. This restriction, imposed by the airport terminal through a notice dated October 16, 2023, is in compliance with the revised vehicle parking policy of the Airport Authority of India.
Allowing autorickshaws to drop passengers directly at the departures area would benefit travellers, particularly those heading to the mainland, as they would no longer need to transport baggage from the entry point to the terminal. Additionally, passengers delayed for check-in would not face further inconvenience and could catch their flights on time.
The federation proposes that autorickshaws be permitted to drop passengers at the airport terminals but not allowed to park or wait within the airport premises or pick up any passengers from the airport.
In the interest of the general public and the convenience of residents and tourists, the federation urged authorities to allow autorickshaws to drop passengers inside the airport terminal. However, parking or waiting of autorickshaws within the airport terminal should not be permitted, as per the AAI’s revised vehicle parking policy.
When the matter was taken up with the Airport Director of VSI Airport, the Airport Director informed Andaman Sheekha Daily that similar letters from the Auto Union have been received in the past regarding this matter. He clarified that it is a policy issue, with the policy clearly stating that entry is not allowed. The director assured that the headquarters has been notified of the letter, and any directions received will be duly communicated and implemented.
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