I took this photograph at the Kochi international airport yesterday night by around 7.30 p.m. The Bolero on the left is a private vehicle and the taxi which is blocking it is an airport taxi. The taxi guys are hostile to the vehicles coming from outside and they are supported by the airport authorities, because the airport authorities want the prvate vehicles to use the airport vehicle parking facility which charges Rs.60 which is very high compared to the local standards. They dont allow the private vehicles to stop even for 5 minutes to take the passengers, within five minutes some security guard will come and ask you to move. In yesterdays incident the local taxi drivers and the private vehicle drivers were abusing each other with filthy words and they were on the brim of attcking each other. Is this the kind of image we want to paint about Kerala to the outside visitors?. Can we not behave in a more friendly manner with the airport users / passengers. It is a fact that this airport has become a monopoly here, and passengers do not have any other option available. Is this the price we are paying for privatization of common infrastructure. In the airports name, acres and acres of land was acquired by the government, and now acres of the acquired land (paddy fields) are getting converted to as the biggest golf course of Asia. While this is allowed, the local administration is not allowing the common man even to construct a small house in the paddy fields outside. Is this not dual standards by the authorities. The land which is being converted to the golf course is the habitat of the migratory birds.
Can we not become little more environment and user friendly?
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