Sri Vijaya Puram, May 27: Questions are once again being raised over the alleged collection of parking charges from private vehicles arriving at Veer Savarkar International Airport merely to drop or pick up passengers.
Several members of the public have alleged that the contractor engaged for collecting parking fees at the airport has been demanding Rs.30 from private vehicles entering the airport premises, even in cases where motorists are only dropping off passengers and leaving immediately.
The issue resurfaced after a visitor claimed that he was recently asked to pay Rs.30 while dropping passengers at the airport. According to the visitor, when he informed the staff member collecting the fee that he was aware of an RTI reply pertaining to airport parking regulations, he was allowed to leave without paying any charge.
The visitor subsequently urged authorities and the media to look into the matter, alleging that passengers and vehicle owners are being subjected to unnecessary charges.
The controversy is not new. Andaman Sheekha Daily has witnessed similar incidents on several occasions. In some cases, motorists were allegedly asked to pay as much as Rs.70, which was reportedly described as a “Premium parking” fee. However, when objections were raised, the amount was allegedly reduced to Rs.30. There have also been instances where drivers who had only dropped passengers were initially asked to pay but were later allowed to exit without charge after questioning.
An RTI reply issued by the Airports Authority of India in response to a query regarding parking and drop-off facilities at Veer Savarkar International Airport states that private vehicles are entitled to an eight-minute free period for pick-up through the designated lane and that no charges are applicable for vehicles using the drop-off lane.
Despite this clarification, complaints continue to surface regarding the alleged collection of charges from vehicles engaged only in passenger drop-off and pick-up activities.
The matter has reportedly been raised on multiple occasions in the past, and concerns were earlier brought to the notice of past Airport Director. However, according to complainants, the situation on the ground remains unchanged.
Residents have now urged the Airports Authority of India to prominently display the free pick-up and drop-off provisions at the airport entry and exit points so that passengers and vehicle owners are fully aware of their rights. They have also sought an inquiry into the alleged collection of charges and requested strict monitoring of parking operations to prevent inconvenience to the travelling public.
The allegations have sparked renewed calls for greater transparency in parking fee collection and stricter enforcement of the rules governing passenger pick-up and drop-off facilities at the airport.
