Vehicles can now drop and pick up passengers at Bisra Munda Airport without having to park at the parking bay, and the airport will have time-based variable parking rates from April.

At present, there is a flat rate of Rs 65 for four-wheelers and Rs 15 for two-wheelers in the parking bay irrespective of the time spent.

“We will be floating the tender for parking bays as per the new parking policy by first week of February and finalise the agency within two months with the new parking tariff,” airport director Vinod Kumar Sharma said. “The new variable parking policy would give respite to those who come for a few minutes at the airport as they would not have to pay the same fare as others who park their vehicle for longer times.”

Airport sources said for up to 30 minutes spent at the airport parking bay, a four-wheeler or an auto-rickshaw will have to pay Rs 20, and two-wheeler will have to pay Rs 10 (see box).

The airport authorities have also introduced from Wednesday a dedicated drop and pick-up lane for passengers.

“The decision was taken this week based on feedback from flight passengers,” airport director Sharma said. “The four-wheelers coming to drop and pick-up passengers can park in the dedicated lane for five minutes absolutely free of cost and leave the airport as against the earlier practice wherein any vehicle coming to the airport had to park in the parking bay at a distance away and pay Rs 65 after the five minutes of free time.”

Before this, passengers had to walk over 30m with their luggage to the space where the vehicles are parked. However, with the dedicated lane the cabs and cars can come near the exit gate and passengers can board without having to walk that distance.

The Telegraph

Virus alert

The airport authorities have also set up signage on symptoms of and preventive steps against the novel coronavirus that has originated from Wuhan, China.

“We have also deployed two doctors from RIMS, Ranchi, at the medical inspection unit with necessary medical equipment like facemasks so that passengers suffering from novel-coronavirus-like symptoms can get checked. We have also informed in the signage the helpline number for coronavirus, 011-23978046,” airport director Sharma said.

The 1,568-acre Ranchi airport handled 6 lakh passengers in 2014-15, which increased to 10 lakh in 2015-16, 13 lakh in 2016-17, and 16 lakh in 2017-18. In 2014 there were only 11 flights and the number increased to 30 in 2018. The number of flyers had surpassed 22 lakh by end-2019.