THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Protests against the steep parking fee hike at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport intensified on Tuesday, with a joint forum of national trade unions staging a demonstration and the Youth Congress opening the domestic terminal’s exit gate to passengers in separate protests. The trade union protest on Tuesday prompted the airport management to agree to temporarily waive parking charges for airport workers.
“We also held discussions with the management, but the first round ended without an agreement. The management subsequently returned for talks while the protest was under way. When we didn’t retreat, the management informed that workers would not have to pay parking charges for the time being,” said trade union leader Kallara Madhu.
Meanwhile, the Youth Congress Beach unit staged a separate protest at the domestic terminal in the morning. YC workers opened the exit gate for passengers as part of the agitation. YC district president Nemom Shajeer demanded that the increased charges be withdrawn immediately, seeking at least 15 minutes of free parking for vehicles dropping off or picking up passengers.
The protests came in light of the revised parking charges introduced at the airport from October 1. The new tariff has triggered opposition from trade unions, political parties and taxi operators, who raised concerns over the financial burden on passengers, employees and commercial vehicle operators.
Youth Congress alleged that two-wheelers and three-wheelers were being charged `50 for eight minutes, while different slabs apply to taxis dropping off and picking up passengers.