Think again before you go to Bagdogra Airport on your vehicle


Posted by Ravi K Changia


Think again before you go to Bagdogra Airport on your vehicle
13-Sep-2009, VoiceofSikkim : I would like to share my experience with you and would like others to benefit out of this experience of mine. Last month I travelled from New Delhi to Bagdogra. I arrived on time but my car did not arrive on time at the airport, so I had to spend around one hour outside the airport building.
During this one hour I noticed that any car coming to Bagdogra airport to drop the passenger, dropped the passenger in front of the departure building and moved out of the airport. There stay in airport was not more than five minutes. At the exit point a barricade has been put up by the parking people, who all stopped each and every car and collected parking fees and then let them go.

It was something very strange that even those cars which did not park in the parking area had to pay parking fees. When my car arrived, and we moved out, we were also stopped by the same people and were asked to pay the parking fees. On my arguing that I never parked my car in the parking area, instead car came in and picked me up and is going out, I was insisted on paying the parking fees.
I moved to the airport manager and explained him the whole situation. Then the manager spoke to the parking people and I was allowed to go without payment of parking fee.

To clarify the matter I requested for the information regarding the payment of fees from the Airport Authority under the provisions of RTI Act. I got their reply and same is scanned and attached.
As per the clarification if one drops a passenger in front of the airport building and moves out straight, then that car should not be charged any fees for the same.

Daily around 10 flight take-off and land at Bagdogra airport. If in those 10 flight 100 passengers travel then in total 1000 passengers move out of Bagdogra airport. To drop those 1000 passengers at least 500 cars come to drop them and of which 90% move out straight without going to the parking area.
So as per the above explanation, following amount is taken from public.

Parking fees per car Rs. 35/-

Number of Cars moving out straight per day =500 x 90%= 450 cars

Wrong amount collected per day = 450 x 35= Rs. 15750/-

Wrong amount collected per month = 15750 x 30= Rs. 4, 72, 500/-

Wrong amount collected per year = 15750 x 365= Rs. 57, 48, 750/-


As people are not aware of it people pay this money. So kindly help me to make public aware of this and save public money of Rs. 57, 48, 750/- going to wrong hands through cheating people every year.



Best wishes,

R.C.Mintri Road
Kalimpong-743401
Tel:+913552259656
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E-mail: ravi@changias.com
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