PUNE: Flyers landing at the airport are finding it difficult to find transport as authorities are no longer allowing autorickshaws to enter the premises to pick up passengers.
About a month ago, the airport authorities had removed the pre-paid autorickshaw booth from the arrival area.Now, the autorickshaws are parked along the New Airport Road, which runs parallel to the airport building, and near the parking lot number two.
Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke said autorickshaws cannot pick up passengers from the airport any more but are allowed to drop flyers. “Pick-ups from the airport by autorickshaw is not in the guidelines but I have requested the headquarters to make some arrangement,” he said.
Autorickshaw drivers do not have much clarity regarding matter. “We were told the vacate the premises just before Independence Day,” said an autorickshaw driver and member of the union which provides the pre-paid service.
“Our licence to operate from the airport expired on August 30 and the authorities had assured us that it will be renewed. However, after a while, we were told that there was no provision for an autorickshaw stand at the airport,” he said.
Passengers were now forced to walk to the autorickshaws near the parking lot number two or we ask them to wait near the gate till we bring our vehicles, he said.
Another autorickshaw driver said that with pre-paid booth being removed from the premises, many flyers are being cheated by other drivers. “Our service has fixed rates for different places. Now, we have wait sit outside the airport and convince flyers that we are the pre-paid service,” he said.
Sadhna Goswami, who flew from Pune airport recently, said she could see Ola and Uber booths but no autorickshaw stand. “I have to pay Rs 230 to go to Kondhwa from the airport in an autorickshaw but cab costs over Rs 320. For single passengers with less luggage, autorickshaws are the best option,” said Goswami.
Nilesh Prabhakar (48), who landed at the Pune airport early this week, said he flies frequently from Delhi and usually takes an auto to Kondhwa. “Cabs are costly and there have been instances when my rides have been cancelled by the driver and I had to pay the charges,” said Prabhakar, adding that he had to walk 40-50 metres to the far end of a parking lot to take an autorickshaw.
Recently, Pune MP Girish Bapat, who is also the chairman of the Pune airport advisory committee, wrote to civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighting the matter.
About a month ago, the airport authorities had removed the pre-paid autorickshaw booth from the arrival area.Now, the autorickshaws are parked along the New Airport Road, which runs parallel to the airport building, and near the parking lot number two.
Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke said autorickshaws cannot pick up passengers from the airport any more but are allowed to drop flyers. “Pick-ups from the airport by autorickshaw is not in the guidelines but I have requested the headquarters to make some arrangement,” he said.
Autorickshaw drivers do not have much clarity regarding matter. “We were told the vacate the premises just before Independence Day,” said an autorickshaw driver and member of the union which provides the pre-paid service.
“Our licence to operate from the airport expired on August 30 and the authorities had assured us that it will be renewed. However, after a while, we were told that there was no provision for an autorickshaw stand at the airport,” he said.
Passengers were now forced to walk to the autorickshaws near the parking lot number two or we ask them to wait near the gate till we bring our vehicles, he said.
Another autorickshaw driver said that with pre-paid booth being removed from the premises, many flyers are being cheated by other drivers. “Our service has fixed rates for different places. Now, we have wait sit outside the airport and convince flyers that we are the pre-paid service,” he said.
Sadhna Goswami, who flew from Pune airport recently, said she could see Ola and Uber booths but no autorickshaw stand. “I have to pay Rs 230 to go to Kondhwa from the airport in an autorickshaw but cab costs over Rs 320. For single passengers with less luggage, autorickshaws are the best option,” said Goswami.
Nilesh Prabhakar (48), who landed at the Pune airport early this week, said he flies frequently from Delhi and usually takes an auto to Kondhwa. “Cabs are costly and there have been instances when my rides have been cancelled by the driver and I had to pay the charges,” said Prabhakar, adding that he had to walk 40-50 metres to the far end of a parking lot to take an autorickshaw.
Recently, Pune MP Girish Bapat, who is also the chairman of the Pune airport advisory committee, wrote to civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighting the matter.
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