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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Time of India
500 to travel 1.5 km: Flyers' extortion plaints prompt cop crackdown on airport rickshaws
Kolkata: Bidhannagar Police have banned entry of rickshaws — both normal cycle rickshaws, as well as retrofitted and mechanised ones — on airport premises after receiving multiple complaints from flyers about being charged exorbitant amounts by operators for short distances. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Some flyers said they were charged Rs 300-Rs 500 to travel a distance of 1 km-1.5 km. Cops also pointed out the vulnerability of the airport perimeter and chronic traffic snarls caused by these three-wheelers as key reasons for the enforcement. While the movement of rickshaws was long banned outside the terminal building, until last month, rickshaws could pick up passengers from near the AC bus stand outside the airport, less than a four-minute walk from the terminal building. Now, the growing extortion and security concern has led police to launch a crackdown. "Rickshaws often contribute to bottlenecks during peak hours. More importantly, they operate without formal registration or identity verification, raising serious security concerns," said an officer. Cops have identified around 50 rickshaw operators who mostly enter the airport premises and engage in soliciting passengers, charging higher fares for small distances. Cops said they have prosecuted a number of them. "We have received multiple complaints from flyers and started a crackdown on the rickshaws. We have banned their entry on airport premises," said the officer. Given that the airport is located very close to residential neighbourhoods, there has always been a section of flyers who take a rickshaw to the airport from Dum Dum and Nagerbazar. Over the past two weeks, officers have been seen patrolling key junctions outside the airport, like Jessore Road crossing, Gate 1, Gate 2.5, VIP Road connector, and airport entry road, warning rickshaw operators and seizing unregistered vehicles. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Airport authorities have expressed support for the move, noting that increased vehicular discipline will improve passenger access and allow for better implementation of security protocols. "There have been complaints of extortion. We welcome the move by Bidhannagar police," said a senior airport official. For a long time, Kolkata airport has been among the very few airports that one could reach by rickshaw. There is also a photograph of a British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) air hostess being transported from a plane to the terminal building on a cycle rickshaw. Capturing a moment of aviation history in 1952, the photograph is one of the many iconic images associated with the 100-year-old airport. This action against rickshaw drivers comes a month after police started prosecuting bike-taxi operators found picking up passengers from outside the airport's arrival zone, violating the new regulations. The airport authorities have also installed signboards mentioning that app-based two-wheelers are not allowed in the airport area, as there is no mechanism currently in place for entry fee collection from them.
South China Morning Post
15-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Memories of Kai Tak, Hong Kong's iconic airport, renowned for its dramatic landings
Explore the captivating history of Hong Kong's legendary Kai Tak Airport, famous for its challenging landings, thrilling flight path low over the Kowloon skyline and, of course, it's rather distinctive welcoming aroma for air travellers. Advertisement From its vibrant beginnings to its closure in 1998, delve into unforgettable memories, pioneering flights, and the airport's lasting impact on the city and its residents. When Kai Tak Airport closed after 73 years of operation it had become an icon of the city and a civic treasure renowned worldwide for its challenging landings. Revisit the airport's vibrant history, its impact on the residents of Kowloon living directly under its approach path, and the unforgettable experiences of passengers and pilots. Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport was renowned for its thrilling landings and its dramatic approaches over Kowloon. But it was also a place where local kids gathered to do their homework thanks to the ever-present air con, and one which greeted air travellers with a rather distinctive smell. Discover the fascinating history of the first 'direct' flight from Hong Kong to London as reported by the South China Morning Post. The pioneering air service was not quite as direct as modern airlines would envisage the term as the flight took an epic 11 days, with stops in exotic locations such as Penang, Saigon, and Cairo. The Kai Tak runway under construction in the mid-1950s. Picture: Dragages Hong Kong A de Havilland Comet 4 in the livery of the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the first jet-engined aircraft to land at Kai Tak on September 11, 1958. Explore the runway's construction, its significance in Hong Kong's place in global aviation, and the iconic aircraft that landed there. A Cathay Pacific Airways DC-3 took off at 8.30pm on July 18, 1959, in a landmark event that marked Hong Kong's first ever night flight. The short 20-minute trip carrying newsmen and assembled special guests was made possible by Kai Tak Airport's new runway lighting system. Part of this article was produced with the assistance of generative AI
