Several taxi drivers illegally park their vehicles in the service lane close to the old domestic and international terminals at the Chennai airport causing heavy traffic congestion, say commuters. Many of these drivers also charge excessive fares and cheat passengers but are not subject to any action by the police, airport users allege.
M. Srinivasan, who visited the airport last week to drop a relative, said he experienced a great deal of hardship while returning home. “It took me nearly twenty minutes to leave the airport because several taxis stationed in the service lane blocked the movement of other vehicles. Instead of directing the idling taxis to move, the police attempted to divert other vehicles,” he said.
Owing to this, he paid Rs. 60 as parking fare, though he had not parked his vehicle. As per the rules of the newly-introduced booth system in the airport, vehicle-owners must enter and exit the airport within seven minutes or pay Rs. 60 and Rs. 120 for non-premium and premium parking slots respectively.
Illegal parking
Mumbai-based Garuda Aviation which manages the toll booths also faces many difficulties due to the illegal parking. “Often, we are not permitted to charge any of these taxis for parking and hence, we incur a huge loss. On an average, at least 100 vehicles get away every day without payment,” said an official of Garuda Aviation.
Most of these taxis charge a higher fare than the existing taxi services at the airport which include Fast Track Ltd., Aviation Express and Chennai Airport Prepaid Taxi Owners-Drivers Association.
“While we charge Rs. 450 for a trip to Anna Nagar, the ones who have parked illegally charge nearly Rs. 600 or so. People who are new to the city are easily deceived. The taxi-drivers park their vehicles in the service lane so that they can approach people before they come to us,” said a source at Fast Track Ltd.
Nearly 10-15 brokers wait in the service lane and help these taxi drivers get clients, he added.
“Difference in degree”
With passengers already irritated over what they see as the high fares charged by licensed taxi services, many are of the view that they invariably end up getting cheated.
Keywords: Chennai airport, illegal taxi parking, traffic congestion at Chennai airport, taxi services at Chennai airport
Chennai Airport should be handed over to private operators, as done to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Worst Airport by FAR. Open the aircraft door and in wafts the unmistakable stench of filthy carpet, sweat, years of abuse, Paan (Betel leaf) stained walls, non-existant maintenance et al. Chennai - India's Auto Capital and a major IT hub has been exploited for years.
The Airport Authority of India is a scandalous set up by government of India. Right from toilets to taxis, Chennai Airport is a shame to Tamil Nadu and an eyesore.
Militant union and ungrateful staff will not match with the minimum expectations of a traveller, who pays high taxes and gets cheated in turn. will the courts take suo moto of this and pass orders against the airport director, who seems to be another inept person, if seen the excuses given by him for the service lapses.
Forget about the basis services. Chennai Airport has no infrastructure to handle in case of any untoward incident. No paramedics.
the worst treatment we get only at Tamilnadu especially at Chennai.
Even though I stay at Chennai for more than 3 decades, we find it
sometimes horrible and difficult to find a reasonable taxi/auto. The
visitors just ridiculous that even we residing in chennai could not
bargain for a better amount. Why we should speak of meter, revising
the fare etc when there is no system in chennai to adhere to the
fares fixed by government. In my 30 years of life at Chennai there
are only one or two incident only where we get reasonable fare
(though higher than government fixed) with lesser argument. So there
is no necessary for revision and it is going to be the fare fixed the
drivers at their whims and fancy.
Earlier it was the Auto drivers. Now the Taxi Drivers. Is there a Police
Department working in Chennai or not. I think the Commissioner of Police
is responsible for allowing this Public Looting. Daily lakhs of Rupees
is being looted from the Public by Autos and Taxis in whole of Tamilnadu
because of the inefficient, corrupt Police / Transport department
officials.
Why alone Airport taxies? Every service provoider in Chennai does that.
Any vistor to the city will know this on arrival at Chennai
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