Frequent flyers say the Chennai airport has turned into a sanctuary of sorts what with some monkeys playing around the terminals sometime back. Some pigeons took refuge at the airport, months after the new terminals were commissioned in 2013 and have been permanent guests ever since. Monkeys and pigeons may not cripple flight movement, but their presence creates a certain discomfort to passengers.
The entry of the monkeys at the airport may have been a one-off incident. But, the droppings of pigeons have been ruining the seats and floor of the terminal for quite sometime.
Officials at Airports Authority of India (AAI) say they don’t know how the pigeons entered the terminal and admit their efforts to drive them away have failed. “There are no openings in the roof of the terminal, so they are unable to fly away. Obviously, we can’t shoot them. So, we are in a fix on how to solve this problem,” he says.
Some officials say using cages or nets may help in trapping them, but experts think otherwise.
S. David Raj, forest range officer, says throwing laser light on pigeons is one of the few ways to scare them. “The light has to be thrown on their eyes. Also, while this is being done, there has to be an opening for them to fly out. At least a few doors of the terminal have to be opened,” he says.
But sources say AAI officials are sceptical of the idea of leaving the doors open.
The laser light technique may be effective only at night, Arunn Narasimhan, associate professor at IIT-Madras says. “The laser light should be of a certain wavelength and it should be pointed to the eyes of every single pigeon. Also, another way to scare the birds is to use predatory sounds; in case of pigeons, the sounds of falcons can be used to drive them away,” he says.
Parking — that is one word that gives a headache to both motorists and pedestrians.
While the motorists crib about the lack of space to park their vehicles, many pedestrians are angered over the traffic problems caused due to haphazard parking of vehicles even in residential localities.
“Anyone who has gone to Mylapore, T. Nagar or any other busy locality in Chennai will know how difficult it is to ride through the traffic and find a spot to park their vehicles. Besides, people park in residential streets making it impossible for people to come out of their houses,” says K. Arun, a resident of West Mambalam.
Transportation experts say that this is because of the lack of a parking management system in the city. “Mumbai and Delhi have woken up to the issue of parking. They have increased public transportation, reduced parking and also imposed a heavy price for parking,” says Shreya Gadepalli, regional director (India), Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
She says that ITDP had proposed a comprehensive parking management plan to the Chennai Corporation. “They are planning to introduce it in the city,” she adds.
Senior traffic police officers too agree. “We now fine those who park their vehicles in no-parking zones. But, hefty fines are needed to prevent motorists from parking in residential areas,” a senior police officer adds.
