A taxi driver sought ₹1,500 for a ride to Mukundapur from the airport on Wednesday afternoon.

Another driver demanded ₹800 from the airport to Salt Lake City Centre around the same time.

App cab fares hovered around the ₹600-680 mark for a ride to Mukundapur while the fare to Salt Lake ranged between ₹380-455 on Wednesday.

Rumour-mongering and then fleecing passengers by a section of taxi drivers and touts were rampant at the Calcutta airport on Wednesday despite no flight delays because of a 12-hour bandh called by the BJP.

The taxi driver who demanded ₹1,500 for a ride to Mukundapur told Metro that "violent protesters were blocking main roads across the city due to the bandh".

"So, I have to take multiple detours. So, you have to pay more," he said.

Many fliers who landed in the city on Wednesday said taxi and app cab drivers were quoting exorbitant fares.

Somnath Batabyal, a resident of Bally who landed in the city from Silchar at 3pm, said multiple app cab drivers had asked him to pay extra citing "blocked roads by BJP supporters out to enforce the bandh".

"At least three app cab drivers told me that they will take anything from ₹100-200 extra as roads are blocked at several points," said Batabyal.

Niloy Saha, who had come to pick up his family who arrived from Agartala, said he had received several videos on WhatsApp groups that showed men with BJP flags trying to down shutters of shops and blocking roads. "When I drove to the airport I did not see any such thing."

At 12.25pm, a group of BJP supporters had gathered on the airport-bound flank of VIP Road near the Baguiati bus stand. The group dispersed after 15 minutes.

Barring this, the VIP Road — one of the fastest routes that connects the airport with the rest of the city — was free from any obstruction. There were no disturbances or roadblocks on Major Arterial Road (MAR), an alternative route to the airport, said police.