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Private airport taxi operators complain of raw deal
Airport private taxi operators have urged the authorities to reconsider security arrangements, which, they claim, have hit their business.
Taxi drivers’ union leader L.D.S. Saman Kumara told the Sunday Times that due to the security arrangements, they were not allowed to park outside the arrivals terminal and get hires.
Acknowledging that security was a top priority in the wake of the Easter Sunday terror attacks, the union leader said they should be allowed to park and pick up passengers outside the arrivals terminal after a thorough check of their vehicles by Air Force personnel, as has been the case with BIA-operated taxis.
At present, airport taxis are allowed to drive through an outer lane, about 30 metres away from the arrivals terminal, to pick up passengers. They are not allowed to wait until passengers arrive.
“If we fail to pick up the passenger, we have to do a second round, joining a line of about 50 vehicles ahead of us,” he said.
Another taxi operator A.G. Anil Munasinghe said passengers are not allowed to venture outside but are advised to hire a private or a BIA-operated taxi or get into a shuttle bus to go to the taxi park located at Nayakanda, some 350 metres away.
Mr. Munasinghe said those who come in their private vehicles to pick up relatives or friends have to park their vehicles at another car park and walk up to the Nayakanda park to meet up with them.
Highly inconvenienced are those passengers who buy items such as refrigerators, washing machines and television sets at duty free shops. They cannot load these items into the shuttle bus.
A senior Air Force officer said they had revised the security measures and were now allowing a limited number of registered private taxis to park and wait for passengers a little distance away from the arrivals terminal.
“We cannot put national security at risk, and, therefore, we kindly request taxi drivers and people to bear with the situation until normalcy returns,” he said.