New parking system brings down tout trouble at Kolkata airport

KOLKATA: A feat that neither the Kolkata airport authorities nor the Bidhannagar City Police could achieve in several years has been pulled off with a tweak in the parking norms. The number of touts outside the airport has subsequently come down in the last month with the agency manning the parking prosecuting more than 400 vehicles— most belonging to touts —for unauthorized parking.
According to an estimate, there were at least 55-60 touts at Kolkata airport during the winter festive rush in January. After that, the new parking norms enabled the parking agency to fine vehicle owners/drivers Rs 400 every time they parked outside the designated lot.


“Since the new rules came into effect from February 13, on an average we booked around 10-20 persons every day. While some of them were private vehicle owners booked for overstaying the limit of 10 minutes outside the terminal building, most of the cars belonged to touts who used to park them outside the lot. Earlier, they used to park their cars on the terminal road and the area opposite the old airport terminal. But now, we have been empowered to book them and we are doing so,” said Sanjay Atha, the director of Wenz International Private Limited, the agency that manages airport parking in Kolkata.


The official said they have dedicated marshals, dressed in fluorescent half-sleeve jackets, who go around the premises checking illegally parked cars and clamping the vehicles and sticking parking violation tickets to them. They also move around with a machine outside the airport terminal, checking the ticket issued at the entry gate mentioning time of entry.
TOI had reported how touts parked their vehicles on the terminal road beyond gate 3C and in the old unused parking lot opposite the old terminal to avoid paying a fee. The touts hung around at the exit gates of the international and domestic terminals and near the ATM outside the parking lot.

Since the the new system came in effect, the parking agency has been working closely with Bidhannagar City Police while prosecuting the vehicles. In case the cars are found belonging to touts, they are informing the cops, who are arresting the offenders.

“In the last few days, we have arrested a number of touts from outside the airport. We are working with the parking authorities and are seizing the touts’ vehicles that are parked without authorisation. These measures have led to a sizeable decrease in the number of touts,” said a senior officer of Bidhannagar City Police.

The parking officials said the new system has also led to a spike in the number of people entering the parking lot with the fee being slashed to Rs 40 for 30 minutes instead of the earlier fee of Rs 100 for 1 minute to 2 hours.

“The number of cars entering the parking lot has increased by at least 20% and the airport terminal road has become free of congestion. The passenger complaints about harassment by touts have also decreased,” said an airport official.