Siliguri top cop unaware of airport traffic mess

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, BAGDOGRA, 19 DECEMBER 2017: A series of reports highlighting problems at the Bagdogra Airport, and airport director Rakesh R Sahay's assurance to do something about them, especially approaching the traffic police under the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) to improve the traffic and parking situation. SMP commissioner Niraj K Singh today said he was not aware that there were traffic problems at the airport.

Traffic congestion, especially on the lanes leading to the terminal, unruly drivers, rampant parking and parking fees are burning issues among travellers, including tourists.

Asked to comment on the issue, Mr Singh was taken aback and he told this correspondent: 'Traffic congestion, especially in the lanes was not an issue at the Bagdogra Airport, I don't have any information on that. But we are concerned about traffic congestion at Bagdogra (bazaar) due to construction of the Asian Highway-II. connecting Nepal and Bangladesh,"

"People suffer a lot due to the traffic congestion at Bagdogra, and the traffic police are helpless. Bagdogra police station is looking into the matter," he added. Bagdogra area and the airport there falls under the SMP.

Mr Singh, however, admitted the shortage of police personnel at the airport and talked about plans to increase the strength of the force posted there.

"There is no police out post at the airport. A team of police is working there after the airport authority provided accommodation to them. Approval from higher authorities is required for setting up a police outpost, which is imperative in the long run," Mr Singh said, adding, -Keeping in mind a large volume of passengers that has increased here in the last few years, we have planned to deploy additional forces there to manage the situation better,"

According to police sources, parking fee collectors are partly to blame for the traffic congestion at the airport as they put up a barricade as they collect parking fees through a single window. They demand parking fees from all vehicles that spend more than five minutes on the airport premises.

It may be noted that the SMP had deployed personnel at the airport in 2013 to maintain law and order there. That time, the sanctioned strength was two assistant sub-inspectors, four constables and seven civic volunteers under the leadership of on a sub- inspector. There is presently no sub- inspector there, sources have said.

On the other hand, the chairman of the Airports Authority of India has approved deployment of more Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) at the Bagdogra Airport, officials have said.

Bagdogra Airport Director, Rakesh R Sahay said the number of the CISF personnel will be doubled.

"At present, CISF jawans are carrying out a single-shift duty. They will start working double shift after additional forces come here. We expect additional deployment in March," Mr Sahay said.

Meanwhile, Mr Singh was in the dark also about problems in operating the prepaid taxi booth run by the police at the airport.

Notably, police face problems providing cars to travelers, including tourists, as the drivers are not interested in the government's old rate, which was revised in 2008.

"I do not have information about the old rates. I will ask the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, to look into this,' Mr Singh said.

Notably, state tourism minister Gautam Deb had held a meeting on this issue and the proposal for revision of the old rates, but the process discontinued due to unknown reasons," sources said.

Citing an example, the sources said that drivers are not interested in accepting the rate of Rs 2080 for an SUV car from Bagdogra to Gangtok, because the Sikkim government's prescribed rate is Rs 3,500. "We can tame drivers and their vehicles' movement inside the airport area methodically if a majority of the passengers depends on prepaid taxi booths," Mr Sahay said.

(o be continued)