Kolkata Airport touts prey on fliers

Kolkata: Be it day or night, touts are present to torment passengers at Kolkata airport. A bunch of unkempt youths lean over baggage trolleys just outside the exit gates, leering at women. As soon as passengers trickle out, they jump into action. They target passengers from the North-East, particularly single women, and crowd around them to offer' cabs. Others jam the door of the AC bus to ward off passengers.
At the international terminal, touts haggle with passengers, pushing for exchanging dollars and pounds. For the uninitiated, it is a scary experience.
The official money exchange firms at the airport have lodged several complaints with the police and airport officials. Some touts dealing in forex were rounded up by CISF and handed over to the police. But they managed to walk out.
Sudip Bose, the staff in-charge of the AC bus service to Tollygunge and Santragachi, said the touts were in league with powerful taxi unions.
The CISF did round up Samir Dey, Md Ramzan, Sahabuddin, Partha Das and Arafudding for harassing passengers. But they, too, were released because their act did not constitute a cognizable offence.
With Kolkata airport advisory committee chairman Saugata Roy, a Union minister of state, also expressing serious concern, the home secretary has asked police to act tough.
24/09/10 Subhro Niyogi/Times of India

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Categories: airports Sep 2010