Jun 03, 2011 12:12 PM
5323 Views
(Updated Jun 03, 2011 12:21 PM)
While congratulating you for getting the "ACI Director General's Recognition Award”, my experience tells me that no attention has been paid to make life easier for people with disabilities, and, those conferring the award were oblivious to this.
The world over, that is, in civilized world, space for disembarking and parking is reserved for people with disabilities. Not at T-3. The vehicle lane nearest to the departure gates is marked ‘premium’. I don’t know what it means.
The lane was used by Buses and siren-blaring VVIP cars. I could observe this with consternation when I visited T-3 to see-off my mother who has trouble with her knees (on June 1, 2011). Private cars are made to use the farthest lane, about 200 meters away from the Entry Gate. Probably GMR expects that service to physically challenged is not their responsibility and the relatives of such a traveler will take care of these ‘insignificant’ things.
Even the airlines do not provide wheelchair unless a boarding card is produced. To get the boarding card, one has to shell out Rs. 80.00 just to gain entry to check-in counters. In the zeal to charge for everything, GMR lost sight of this aspect, having failed to distinguish between a voluntary entry from a mandatory one to enable obtaining of a boarding card for challenged person.
The parking charge of Rs. 50.00 in non-premium area for 30 minutes is a farce. The parking lot is about 750 metres away and one has to walk the distance from Parking to Entry gates. A brisk walk to touch the Entry Gate and come back to the car can be accomplished in about 30 minutes, that is, if one takes a brisk walk. The concept of premium parking is not understood here as the distance to Entry Gate from Parking lot remains same as non-premium. Invariably, GMR makes minimum of Rs 100.00 (Rs. 140.00 for premium) for two-hours from each vehicle transiting the Parking lot. If the charge is reduced from Rs. 100.00 to Rs. 50.00 for two hours, GMR will have all the cars, which are waiting along the roadsides to pick arriving pax, inside the Parking Lot.
The door handles of the Mortice locks on toilets for physically challenged are so hard, difficult to open by able-bodied, leave alone a 78 year old. Does anyone ensure smooth sailing for physically challenged in GMR?
I wanted to see previous complaints on your website, but there were none. I don’t believe it. Those had probably been deleted.
If DIAL gets any more awards, the award giver will be suspect.
Rgds,
Matharu, RPS
