Tourist Cab Operators Raise Concern Over Sky-High Parking Fees at LGBI Airport

The Seven State Tourist Cab Operators Union on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Assam Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya seeking solutions to the problems they are facing.

In the memorandum, the union mentioned about the unreasonable parking fees collected by the airport authority at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBI). “Around 10,000 literate unemployed youths are feeding their families by driving tourist cabs. We wish to inform you that the LGBI airport authorities used to collect Rs. 100 from each ride after we pick up passengers or tourists and leave the airport premises as parking fees, however, in the past few days we had have to pay Rs. 300 to 800 if we cross the time limit by at least 10 minutes or more for parking. This has created a major problem for us because it is not possible to drop off passengers and collect money for the rides within 10 minutes.”

They further highlighted the problem they are facing from the private companies providing self-drive rental cars from where the tourists book the cars on lease and drive to their destinations. This has left the tourist cab owners and drivers helpless unable to make earnings during the vacation periods.

“A few private companies purchase 20-25 private cars and hand over them to tourists on lease for self-driving. This indirectly has threatened our business to close down. Moreover, while carrying passengers to other neighboring states, we face lots of issues. For these reasons, we wish to seek solutions to the problems we are facing through discussions so it is resolved as soon as possible,” the memorandum reads.

They mentioned the following four issues that they want the transport department to resolve:

• To stop LGBI Airport authorities from looting the cab drivers by imposing unreasonable parking fees

• To stop private companies from providing cars on lease to travelers and tourists

• To address the issues faced by tourist cab drivers from outside the state and resolve them through discussions

• To secure the lives and livelihood of the cab owners and drivers.

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