TIRUCHY: Air passengers and visitors seek the opening of a budget-friendly Udaan Yatri Cafe at the Tiruchy international airport on the lines of the two outlets opened at the Chennai and Kolkata airports.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the café selling refreshments at nominal rates at the Chennai airport on February 27. This was launched following the success of the maiden one opened at the Kolkata airport.
At the cafe, a water bottle costs Rs 10, tea Rs 10, coffee Rs 20, samosa Rs 20 and vada, Rs 20.
Passengers at the Tiruchy airport said travellers, visitors and airport staff do not have access to a proper outlet serving beverages and snacks at reasonable prices with hygienic standards even though the new integrated terminal building was thrown open to the public last year.
There is a café at the arrival area of the airport. Here a cup of tea, coffee, or milk is sold for Rs 50, while snacks are priced between Rs 50 and Rs 60. A one-litre bottle of drinking water costs Rs 100. Despite the exorbitant rates, the quality of these items is not up to standard, alleged VB Jaganath of the Trichy Intra-City Development Endeavor (TIDES), an NGO.
"The primary aim of launching a cafe is to ensure that nobody in the airport goes hungry due to high food prices. The public, including passengers and workers, at the Tiruchy airport may not be able to afford beverages and snacks sold at the existing facility. A majority of passengers using the airport belong to the working class, and the visitors accompanying them are also not wealthy enough to pay Rs 50 for coffee and Rs 100 for a bottle of drinking water. The airport authorities should work towards launching an affordable facility at the Tiruchy airport. We have requested Tiruchy MP Durai Vaiko to take the necessary steps to establish such a café here," he added.
When contacted, MP Durai Vaiko said he will take the necessary steps to open an UDAN Yatri Café at the Tiruchy airport in consultation with the airport authorities.