Surat Airport Scandal: High Parking Fees and Corruption

Surat : Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI)  in the diamond city of Surat have tarnished the reputation of the Surat International Airport by allegedly indulging in serious mismanagement and unfair practices concerning the parking booth operations. The parking contractor hired by the AAI at Surat International Airport is charging almost double the parking fees from the two-wheelers and cars and the excessive time charges are imposed on the vehicles visiting the airport for the pick-up and drop of the passengers. 

Thousands of passengers travelling from the Surat International airport to various domestic and international destinations. However, the functioning of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has always been in controversy. 

Darshan Naik, a social worker and cooperative leader carried out a sting operation where the parking contractor at the Surat airport was involved in  open-handed robbery from the passengers and their relatives. An exit fee of Rs.60 is charged for just one minute and 11 seconds. Not only this, Rs 80 is charged for car parking for up to 40 minutes of parking time. Usually this charge is Rs.30 and Rs.40 respectively as per the parking policy and there is no exit fee if the parking is done. However, the parking and exit fee is charged twice from the passengers.

“An agency has been given the parking contract by the Surat Airport authority. This agency literally robs passengers by charging parking and exit fees. Generally, there is no exit charge. The Central government has launched the UDAAN Scheme where even a common person can travel in the aircraft. However, the reality is somewhat different” said Naik. 

When common people come to the airport, they use small vehicles like auto rickshaws. But rickshaw pullers avoid entering the airport to avoid parking and entry-exit charges. Due to which small people are forced to tread a distance of almost one-kilometre to walk out of the airport premises and hire autos.  It seems that no one has control over the airport authority. Contracts are also awarded by the airport authority to its own expatriates. Thus, the passengers of Surat and surrounding areas are facing a lot of hardship in the coordination of the local airport authority and the contractor.

Rajesh Modi, a frequent flyer from the Surat Airport has lodged complaint with the AAI headquarters against the unfair practices by the contractor and Surat airport authority. According to Modi, the current placement of the airport entry and exit booths on the main road has led to significant inconvenience for the public.

“The arbitrary rule requiring vehicles to exit the airport booth within one minute from the parking exit booth, under the threat of a ₹30 fine, is both unreasonable and exploitative. This rule is not  documented in the tenders  rules and regulations, why a contractor has done  such a predatory program in their fee collection software must be disclosed immediately” said Modi.

It is highly questionable whether any proper exercise was conducted to determine that one minute is a sufficient exit time. Which officials are involved in this exercise, along with the date, time, and the traffic load considered during this so called study. The absence of a fair and realistic evaluation in setting this time limit is a grave oversight that cannot be ignored.

It is alarming that despite numerous complaints from the public regarding the current parking contractors  practices, no significant action seems to have been taken.  The failure to impose penalties for violations of the contract terms is indicative of gross negligence by the airport administration.