Pune: After the abolition of payment of Rs 85 for seven minutes wait into the airport premises, finally the Pune airport authority has deputed ex-servicemen to manage the traffic congestion at the airport.
According to airport officials, the three teams, comprising three members each, for three shifts, are responsible for taking action against vehicles parked without any reason. During the peak hours, the drivers park their vehicles on the stretch and make a long queue near the departure and arrival area, which creates trouble to the other fliers and the authorities.
“With the regulation abolished, it has been seen that vehicles coming to drop passengers are taking a lot of time. The airport witnesses a lot of flight movements early in the morning and daytime and again in the late afternoon hours. With passengers taking a lot of time to move towards the departure gate after collecting their luggage from vehicles, the whole place gets crammed with more cars entering the premises,” a senior official from the airport pointed out.
“The men have been asked to ensure that the vehicles move quickly towards the exit gate and are not parked inside the premises. There needs to be a constant movement of vehicles and they cannot wait outside the departure area for a long time,” he added.
“It becomes absolutely chaotic, particularly in evening. The whole stretch gets completely packed and people cannot move to the other side. Also, there is a lot of honking and the place seems like a railway station. In my view, the payment system should be re-initiated but the amount can always be reduced. The road stretch can be widened in parts too,” said Manoj Pandey, a frequent flier.
