Motorist going to drop a friend or family at Shamshabad airport has a special free parking slot, an amenity that is unknown to many. The parking slot is only for 15 minutes, making it a place for people who just come to drop and not wait.
The airport authorities purposefully avoid popularizing this amenity as it can lead to issues like over staying and crowding the place. Located 50 metres ahead after the departure-arrival ramp section on the right side, this area can comfortably hold up to 100 vehicles. The area is said to be primarily made for crew members and private vehicles. It is located separately from other parking lots for private vehicles and cab.
Special free parking is meant for the convenience of passengers. They should have a valid reason to park. It is basically to decongest the arrival ramp. We don’t want to promote it because people will park unnecessarily and that will in turn lead to a lot of issues, an airport official reportedly told Deccan Chronicle.
However, according to Shaik Salaluddin, president of the Four Wheelers Association, there are no free parking slots available. There are no free parking given to private vehicles. Everything is digitised. If a four-wheeler enters the premises we are given slip and the driver is charged while leaving the premises, an article by Deccan Chronicle quoted.
Electric vehicles at Hyderabad’s RGIA
Meanwhile, another report stated that the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad, here will soon have electric vehicles supporting its ground services. The initiative launching as a part of the green drive intends to use electric vehicles for staff engaged in patrolling the premises, operational teams and those handling various types of equipment.
The airport is already using Mahindra Verito electric cars for some of its operations. Currently, the RGIA is handling more than 500 aircraft movements and over 60,000 passengers in a day, and it is the sixth busiest airport in India.
