May (Samajweekly) In a letter to the Sh. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation and Sh. Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman of the Airport Authority of India, the FlyAmritsar Initiative and NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM) has highlighted several critical issues troubling travelers at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport Amritsar. The Global Convener of the Initiative Sameep Singh Gumtala along with Convener (India) and Secretary AVM Yogesh Kamra urged the Ministry and Airport Authority to take immediate action to address the concerns promptly and prioritize passenger safety, comfort and convenience.
With passenger footfall exceeding 10,000 daily passengers and 3 million for FY2023-24, the current terminal building urgently requires an immediate attention for diligent upkeep of existing infrastructure and swift consideration for expansion of terminal building to accommodate the growing number of flights and passengers. Long queues at various checkpoints, including terminal entry,X-ray and check-in counters, immigration and security checks, cumbersome maneuverability in pick/drop circulation area, unavailability of required number of wheelchairs and baggage trolleys are causing significant delay for passengers.
Kamra said, we have requested local management of the airport for opening of multiple departure area gates to alleviate long queues and improve passenger flow into the terminal building. Several people including travelers have also reached out to us regarding prevalence of solicitation by airport staff for tips and cash at the entrance/exit gate, inside washrooms, near boarding gates and in the parking / arrival areas.
The overcharging by parking contractor and dysfunctional fast-tag systems has added to the multiple grievances of travelers lately. Despite being fined by the management several times; the parking contractor continues to overcharge. The Initiative requested a zero-tolerance policy against such incidents of overcharging & solicitation of money and has written to the ministry for development of a multi-storied parking, rejuvenation of pickup & drop off area, an enhanced circulation area, and the beautification of the outside premises as per planned expansion of the airport, said Kamra.
Oher issues that needs immediate attention includes slow X-ray, security & immigration process, inoperative announcement systems on the first floor, presence of birds rodents and mosquitoes, water seepage issues, cleanliness around water and toilet facilities, and early implementation of self-baggage drop and Digi yatra technologies at the airport.
Anticipating further rise in footfall at the airport, Gumtala and Kamra appealed to the authority to take immediate action to address these issues and prioritize passenger safety, comfort and convenience. Failure to do so could tarnish the reputation of the airport and impact the overall travel experience. FAI also appealed the minister’s office to liaison with the Punjab government for addressing long pending demand of local bus as well as intercity bus service connectivity to the catchment area of Amritsar airport.
