NAVIN JHA
VASCO: At Dabolim Airport think twice before arguing with the staff stationed at the exit point of the internal access road of the international terminal building as this may invite bouncers to jump on you and even physically hurt you.
Yes, the newly-appointed contractor by Airport Authority of India (AAI) assigned with the responsibility of collecting car parking fees as well as fees from vehicles that cross the time limit of five minutes to move out of the airport area, has deployed bouncers to keep those who avoid and argue with their staff and refuse to pay the delay-time charges.
Enquires with airport sources revealed that bouncers have been deployed as people refuse to pay delay-time fees. The contractor, without seeking permission from the authorities, handed over the task of collecting exit delay-time fees to private bouncers. The bouncers appeared outside the airport five days ago and are there from 1 pm to 6 pm, the peak hours.
Airport Director K Srinivasa Rao told Herald that he had received a complaint that often people refuse to pay the delay-time fees to the contractor but claimed ignorance over deployment of bouncers at the exit point of the internal access road. He, however, assured that he would look into the matter.
Dabolim Airport Traffic Cell PI N Desai confirmed that visitors to the airport do not take the slip (giving five free minutes to pick or drop passengers at the airport) at entry point and later argue with the staff at the exit point and refuse to pay the same, but was against the deployment of bouncers.
“If the contractor has any issues he should take the help of the police but deploying bouncers at the international airport in Goa, which is famous as a worldwide tourist destination, is totally wrong,” Desai said.
South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, who is the advisory committee chairman of Dabolim airport, was shocked to learn from Herald that bouncers have been deployed at the exit point of Dabolim airport. “If they have bouncers then it is a serious issue. Let me check with the airport authorities to confirm this and then I will react,” he told Herald.
Dabolim airport has no proper parking facilities leading to a jam of vehicles outside the main gates (departure and arrival) of the terminal building at peak hours. Presently, those who cross the free time of five minutes in the internal access road to the terminal building are charged Rs 75 (small cars) and Rs 100 (big luxury cars). However, the main concern raised by the people at the airport is congestion in the internal road due to which most of the time people cannot pick or drop passengers within the five minutes free time and the contractor earns by issuing fines.
Member of United Taxi Men Association Sanjay Naik said that the former contractor used to avoid issuing slips to tourist taxis, not just from Dabolim airport, but from all over the State, however, since the new contractor has taken up the responsibility there has been harassment.
“The new contractor has been issuing slips to all tourist taxis, except for 350 yellow black and other taxis at the airport. Also it takes more than five minutes for anyone to come out of the airport during peak hours and collection of delay fees by scaring people through bouncers is totally wrong.”
