Park car, get cheated

Park car, get cheated
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: They swoop down like vultures and demand their pound of flesh even if you have parked only for the stipulated CC “90 seconds boarding and alighting” as per the notices put up prominently at the Bangalore Airport.

At the Arrival area, parking seems to be at a premium as attendants make a killing and extort Rs 50 for parking even though it is free for 90 seconds. If you dare challenge them, they shoot back: “I have kept track of your car. You parked for more than 90 seconds.

As if you can pick up a passenger in that time, 50 rupees kodri,” is their demand. There are at least 500 car owners a day here who are at the receiving end of the parking mafia and pay up.

In fact, Airports Authority of India (AAI), which manages the airport, has tendered the parking lot and authorised them to collect Rs 30 per vehicle. This is applicable only if you park in the designated lots near the Departure or Arrival gates.

There is no fee for parking if the vehicle drops or picks up a passenger. But the attendants show you a badly printed ticket with an AAI logo and demand Rs 50.

When this paper had highlighted a similar racket two years ago where attendants used to collect Rs 30 at the airport entrance itself, AAI decided to waive parking fee for 90 seconds to help boarding and alighting passengers at both departure and arrival terminals.

But the parking contractor seems to be incurring a loss and devised new tactics to make car owners pay up. “We have been authorised by AAI to collect Rs 50 here also,” one attendant said.

Officials said as there was a shortage of parking space, it was decided to use the space wisely. As for parking in boarding and alighting areas, there are many who park there, as they do not want to pay Rs 30 if they park in the lot.

It is to discourage such people and to clear the area fast we have suggested they pay Rs 50 if they park for more than 90 seconds.

But, the parking contractor seems bent on fleecing unsuspecting car owners and makes a fast buck. And that too in the days when one can travel great distances by air at Re 1. Will the AAI look into it?