NRI body slams move to charge User Fee at Trivandrum airport

Report appeared in India media

 

NRI body slams move to charge User Fee at Trivandrum airport

Dubai, May 12 UNI

 

An NRI organisation working for the welfare of the low income overseas Indians in the Gulf has slammed the India government's decision to slap a user fee of Rs 755 on every outbound international passenger saying it is discriminatory.

 

In a letter to the civil aviation minister Praful Patel, the Pravasibandhu Trust said it was surprised that the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) had rejected the Airports Authority of India (AAI) demand to levy the same fee on domestic passengers.

 

The government should have studied the profile of the international passengers from the airport, majority of who are low paid blue collar workers compared to domestic users who are far richer in comparison, Mr K V Shamsudheen, Chairman of the Trust told UNI.

 

"If the AAI feel the fee is essential to make the project viable, they may introduce a reduced fee of Rs 250 from all the users of the airport, one way" he said appealing for immediate intervention by the minister.

 

The member of Parliament from Trivandrum Dr Shashi Tharoor has also opposed the fee, which will be a double whammy on the low income Gulf workers many of who are now

returning from the region because of recession. UNI