Overcharging at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport parking irks visitors

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, April 21

Visitors at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (SGRDJI) are a harried lot, as the parking contractor has been allegedly overcharging. In a recent complaint, a local resident highlighted the practice.

Abhit Khurana, a resident, filed a complaint with the airport authorities against the parking contractor and his workers at the airport. Khurana is a regular visitor to the airport and claimed that he was closely monitoring the overcharging practice at the parking.

Airport Parking charges

• First 30 minutes Rs. 20
• 30-120 minutes Rs. 55
• 2 hrs to 7hrs Rs. 105
• 7 hrs to 24 hrs Rs. 165

“On the intervening night of April 14 and 15, I visited the airport with my relatives in four cars to drop off a relative. Around 11:15 pm on the 14th, we parked the cars at the airport parking and left around 2:20 am on the 15th. When I reached the barrier of the parking exit, the attendant asked me to pay Rs. 330 per vehicle. I asked him how did he calculate that three hours’ parking charges are Rs. 330? He claimed that it was as per the rate list of the parking,” Khurana said.

On the intervening night of April 14 and 15, I visited the airport with my relatives in four cars to drop off a relative. Around 11:15 pm on the 14th, we parked the cars at the airport parking and left around 2:20 am on the 15th. When I reached the barrier of the parking exit, the attendant asked me to pay Rs. 330 per vehicle. I asked him how did he calculate that three hours’ parking charges are Rs. 330? He claimed that it was as per the rate list of the parking. —Abhit Khurana, A resident

Meanwhile, another employee joined the attendant and they entered into a heated argument.

“I asked them to call up their manager, to which they said you go and see the manager, but only after paying. Later, I called the office-bearers of a local NGO to call the airport director. After hearing airport director’s name, the workers asked to pay only Rs. 60 for each vehicle,” Khurana said.

“Being a vigilant citizen, it is my duty to bring the matter to the notice of the authorities and demand proper action against wrongdoers. With such false practices, the parking contractor is not only maligning the image of Amritsar airport, but also bringing disgrace to the city. Despite repeated complaints, no action has been taken against the contractor,” he said.

The airport officials have assured Khurana that his complaint would be investigated and appropriate action would be taken.

“I have written to MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla to conduct a vigilance inquiry into the matter against AAI officials as well as the parking contractor because they are not taking any action despite repeated complaints. If no action will be taken, then we will take this matter to the Aviation ministry,” Abhit said.