All-women parking fee booth reduces hassles at Kolkata airport

The parking hassles at the Kolkata airport has been largely put to rest with the introduction of women at the parking fee booth at the exit gate, airport officials said.

For the Airports Authority of India (AAI), replacing male parking fee collectors with women did the trick.

Since June 26, the day when the first woman fee collector was appointed, the entire parking fee collection process has become a breeze, an AAI officer said.

"Almost 19 days have gone by since the 5-member all-women team have been appointed at the parking fee collecting gates, and so far there has been no trouble," Achchelal Yadav, manager of Kolkata unit of S S Enterprise said.

The company has been appointed to collect parking fees at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBIA).

According to an official of the airport, the decision to replace the men with women were taken almost a year ago, after five employees of the company were arrested following a trouble regarding collection of parking fees at the airport.

"So far the all-women team is doing a good job. They seem to be more calm and courteous and I appreciate their efforts which help to keep the traffic moving," the Director of NSCBIA, Atul Dixit, said.

People were unhappy with the rude behaviour of the male parking fee collectors in the past, Yadav said adding, at times there used to heated exchange of words between the men at the kiosks and drivers of vehicles.

Many a times the fee collectors used to pick up fights with drivers, he said.

Such a situation does not arise now since people are avoiding arguments or quarrels with the women, he added.

Tiyasha Adhikari, a newly appointed fee collector told PTI that there was no trouble while working at the parking fee collection kiosk.

"I have not faced any problem. People just pay the fee they are supposed to and keep moving. Nobody quarrelled with me till date," Adhikari, who stays near the airport, said.

Achchelal Yadav said that all the five women work during the day and a guard has been posted to ensure their safety.