Team Herald
VASCO: In a major decision, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has initiated the process to review the existing free pick-up and drop time-limit policy at the airport.
“At corporate level a comprehensive policy in this direction is being worked out but finally what and how the policy will be known only when the policy comes to us. Currently various options are being worked out like imposing a minimum fee for all private cars entering the airport area; but we are certainly reviewing the existing policy of free pickup-drop time at the airport,” said Dabolim International Airport Director B C H Negi said speaking exclusively to Herald.
Currently the AAI-appointed contractor has installed toll booths for entry and exit at airport terminal area and any private car driver who enters into the airport for drop or pick up and fails to come out of exit toll booth in five minutes, a minimum fee of Rs 85 or more is collected at the exit toll booth from the private car driver. This is the standard parking fee for a car at Dabolim International Airport.
“We have been making all sorts of attempts to decongest the area opposite to terminal building. At present we have five minutes free time for cars after which one has to pay Rs 85 or more as parking fee; however in due course of time we will change the slabs with different timings for the convenience of the people. Those who park their vehicles for more time will have to pay more and whoever park for less time will have to pay less,” Negi informed.
How the people of Goa would react to the new policy only time would tell but undoubtedly the existing system of the five-minute limit has left people upset as those waiting to receive or drop their relatives, friends or guests at the Dabolim airport have been complaining of a limited time period.
“There should be at least a 15-minute window for seeing off or receiving friends and relatives. It is difficult to say a proper goodbye in five minutes. Sometimes, flights even get delayed. Further, if the arriving passenger is old then he or she would take time to walk out of the airport and reach the arrival area,” said Deepmala Goti a resident of Zuarinagar.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to decongest city side portion of the airport terminal building and to bring traffic discipline there the Dabolim airport officials have earmarked a dedicated coach lane.
“We have extended the bus and coach lane by 86 meters and we will also extend the canopy by 86 meters so that buses can move directly to the exit point without hampering other vehicular traffic,” he said, adding that earlier any bus arriving at the airport to pick or drop passengers used to take bus lane and then used to move towards taxi lane thereby leading to congestion at the arrival passage but now since we have earmarked dedicated bus lane, all buses and coaches will maintain its exit directly. By this the buses will not block the flow of other vehicles. Our next focus will be to bring traffic discipline among the taxi operators with the help of traffic police, he emphasised.
