After MiD DAY highlighted the issue of touts cheating passengers at the city's airports, cops have launched an operation and cleared out the fraudsters
After MiD DAY highlighted the issue of touts cheating passengers at the city's airports, cops have launched an operation and cleared out the fraudsters
Due to the fear of landing in jail, taxi and rickshaw touts have done the vanishing act from the Mumbai airport, after MiD DAY reported about how they operate, and their proximity with the local police.
MiD day revisited all those prominent installations at the Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, from where touts generally operate, but surprisingly not a single tout was spotted at any of the four major pockets of their operation. Instead, a large number of policemen were deployed at the airport to patrol these areas.
MiD DAY revisited the domestic airport and found a stream of policemen patrolling the arrival lounge regularly. We spotted a number of touts that the cops had apprehended for questioning
Even traffic cops who earlier were spotted, were patrolling the airport, posing to be very strict with cabbies.
"I am a frequent flier and have always seen these touts standing in large numbers at the arrivals section and the taxi bay.
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But from last three days, I was surprised to seem them missing. May be it is due to fear of the police," an Arun Sharma, a businessmen from Borivali told MiD DAY.
If cops on duty patrol the areas where touts operate from, nobody will dare to defraud passengers. It is happening because of cops not patrolling this area. I am happy to see so many cops patrolling," said Meira Mohan, another passenger.
"Most of the time, when there are touts present, no policeman is seen, except the CISF personnel on duty," said Anuj Kumar, a passenger.
Sources revealed that the reason for the the large number of cops deployed at the airport is because of the ongoing turf battle between rebel Shiv Sena leader Kiran Pawaskar and the Shiv Sena.
While talking to MiD DAY, DCP Satyanarayan Choudhary said, "We are going to continue this exercise until we ensure that the last tout is thrown outside the airport. Anyone who will be caught will be dealt with severely."
This is part of MiD DAY's month-long audit of experiences of travelling in and out of the city, where we take up people's issues and place them before the authorities to address.
So far in the campaign...
Up in the air
To kickstart the campaign, MiD DAY aired passenger complaints regarding airlines misplacing, mishandling and damaging their luggage.u00a0
Following up on fleecing cabbies at the airport, we found that t ingenious cheats still manage to trap the odd gullible passenger.
We reported on how smartly-dressed touts sporting fake uniforms of reputed hotels take tourists for a ride at the airport.
Down by the tracks
Urinals at railway stations on the central and western lines are a breeding grounds for diseases
Paan-stained, filthy stations
Taking the road less travelled
MiD DAY took a bone shattering ride alongside regular passengers of MSRTC buses only to find that, barring a few exceptions, they continue to be as rickety as ever
MiD DAY found that passengers coming into the city by train are left to the mercy of the auto and taxi mafia outside stations whou00a0 quote ridiculous fares
Despite paying a hefty toll at the various toll nakas to exit and enter the city, all motorists get are pot-holed roads, no street lights and a virtual death trap at night
On Monday
After MiD DAY highlighted the sad state of MSRTC buses, authorities have promised to change their seats and will construct a new bus station at Dadar to tackle the traffic situation. Watch this space.
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