[Attachment(s) from Jagdeep DESAI included below]
Hello,
This was many months ago.
The VIPs are totally contemptuous to the Citizens as ever
Who are these guys?Any self styled officious official makes himself a VIP.On any given day at the airport, partucularly the Santa Cruz domestic, there are vehicles and vehicles of self styled VVIp, VIP, their chamchas and chelas, the drivers are also a class apart, with their leaders dada giri rubbed down on them, and the meek and mild 'security' at the airport,such as BIS, have these uniformed people just whistling away at private vehicles, completely overlooking any and every other vehicle which 'behaves' like a VIP or VVIP, not to mention, that they do not seem trained in simple and basic civic sense and courtesies, that they partake gutkha, pan masala, etc. on duty, and have no compunctions to throw the packet on the road, instead of being the example.And when we get reports likeand
it boggles the mind.Most of the rest of the passengers are dumped onto the main road outside, till recently they had no shade or shelter, some time ago, a temporary shade of synthetic material was put up, which also isn't enough.
The paying passenger is treated like some unwanted entity, relegated far away from the porches, in the name of some security concerns, with the resultant four lines of vehicles bunched because every passenger wants door step service, again resulting in frayed tempers as the first vehicle inside has to wait for the fourth vehicle to leave, etc.
VVIP / VIP have taken over all the shaded public spaces as well, while taxis and contract buses are given some space.
Even though though the management of CSIA has now been handed over to GVK, from the AAI, it seems the VVIP / VIP syndrome is well entrenched.
The VVIP / VIP vehicles, all and sundry, their flunkies' vehicles, security vehicles, security persons, their supporters, all adversely contribute to the unbelievable jams and chaos right at the exit from the departures area.
Give them a separate area far away from us, after all we are also VIP, 'Very Insignificant People', so that we, the VIP, are safe and secure from any untoward or undesirable situation which may arise, and inocents from our side of VIP may be affected in anyway.
Give us our public space, allow us to move freely from departures, and allow us to pick up passengers from arrivals without any such VVIP / VIP blockages.
And nowadys, the taxis and auto unions have also taken over almost all the parking and road spaces, with all kinds of plastic barricades in place to direct, redirect and guide vehicles in the airport complex, most of the time, criss crossing, contra flowing, completely contrary to any kind of correct traffic management, and a danger to pedestrians and vehicles.
Truly, the traffic pattern can be realigned keeping everyone's interest in mind, nakabandi, taxis, autos, BEST buses, private vehicles, and get it more efficient and safe, if MIAL, MTP, have the positive inclination.
Meantime, let those VVIP / VIP have their own area, and they had one, in the AAI days, but then, they want to be seen, but we don't want to see them.Handicapped, disabled passengers are given the proverbial short shrift.Very common sight, like this VIP, racing through huge crowds at Sahar 2C arrivals, image 117.
And if that was not enough, taxis and autos bunch up outside on the roads, to get whatever customers they can.
But that is a matter of discipline.Jagdeep DESAIArchitectSecretaryFounder TrusteeForum for Improving Qulaity of Life in Mumbai Suburbs+91 98 6922 7148>>>
End the VIP status symbols, ensure security for all
ANI
Posted: Dec 26, 2008 at 1421 hrs IST
New Delhi One of the reasons for huge public anger erupting like a volcano almost every week is the manner in which many politicians throw their weight to gain importance and impress upon the people.Almost every day we read reports of some politician delaying flights or trains.
Why? The common man wants to know how worthy the worthies are or have they become leeches on India's society.
Having had the privilege of covering as a newsman New Delhi's political scenario from the days of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the author is a witness to the decline in values and the kind of arrogance that the so called leaders of today display.
India''s first Prime Minister mixed freely with the common people. Every year the Holi festival in the front lawns of Teen Murti House was great fun for one and all.
There used to be adequate security for Jawaharlal Nehru. Let's not forget that India's first Prime Minister was as much under threat, after having annoyed the world's leading powers like the US and the USSR by refusing to take sides during the Cold War era.
There were elements hostile to Pandit Nehru at home as well. Yet, the police then were trained to be discreet and manage the situation without causing any inconvenience to the public.
In today's India, even at the official receptions held at the President's House the dignitaries sit under a shamiana expecting the guests to come there in a queue and greet them. Gone are days when Pandit Nehru, with guests like Marshal Tito and Gamal Abdel Nasser would mix with the vast crowd of invitees at the Presidents House. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi always loved to walk around the gardens admiring flowers and meeting people.
Gone also are the days when President Eisenhower was cheered by the surging crowds in Connaught Place in New Delhi. The convoy of Bulganin and Khruschev passed through milling crowd from Palam to President's house and was almost held up by the enthusiastic crowds in Calcutta. The police managed the security concerns well, worried like hell as they were at that moment.
Those events seem a distant dream! However in another country -- the United Kingdom - even today the Queen travels around without a huge cavalcade, causing inconvenience to the public. So does the Prime Minister of that country. I have not seen any British politician making himself a nuisance to ordinary citizens during my stay in London for a while. And please don't forget that Britain faces as much of a jehadi threat today as it earlier faced insurgents from Northern Ireland.
Indian police and security agencies managed VIP security in a discreet manner for many years after Independence. If they are not able to do so, it is not because of their inefficiency. The reason is the rise of the new class of politicians - the 'fixers' who want to make a show of their power, by displaying gun toting security personnel around them. Some of these worthies are never tired of shouting "Don't you know who I am?"
The story does not end merely with the misuse of police and commandos, but the public nuisance that most of the so-called VIPs create today. To seek their special right of the way, no one can tell you for sure as to how many cars today have red light globes atop their roofs.
They are such a nuisance that the man in the street makes derisive remarks by saying that those displaying red lights belong to the red light district!
Rahul Gandhi has described this as 'laal batti' (red beacon light) culture. Time and moment has come when this must end. You can be sure that policemen who are put on such security duties with the 'paper-tiger' politicos hate their job.
Imagine a constable cooling his heels outside a school waiting for the child of the so-called VIP or the poor constable who is forced to carry bags of vegetables and groceries of the VIP 'memsahib' as part of his duty to protect the 'who is who'.
If India is to survive as a democracy, it is time that these new feudal lords are brought under check. No one is going to grudge security provided to those holding constitutional positions. But even that must not cause undue inconvenience to the people.
Everyone must stand in a queue with other passengers while boarding a flight and go through normal security drills. Why have special lounges for VIPs at the airports.
The only way to end this 'laal batti' culture is to order its removal altogether from all the cars including that of real VIPs.
The leaders of earlier days were known for their simplicity and accessibility. We can revert to those days and learn from their simplicity.
The present security cover smacks of a show of power. These agencies can have a close look at the manner at the way the problem is handled in the United Kingdom and some other countries.
In the final analysis it is the duty of the government to ensure the security of all citizens. If each and every citizen is secure, you can be sure of the safety of politicians too.
>>>SECURITY CONCERNS: The IAF chief has claimed that the Indian airforce is prepared to tackle 9/11 style aerial attacks. But these onlookers at Jari Mari Hill overlooking the airport from the Kurla side make it evident that the sensitive location lacks even basic security>>>
Gaping holes in wall threaten airport security
Chinmayi Shalya | TNN
Mumbai: While the call for turning airports into fortresses has become louder in the wake of continuous terror threats to Indian skies, the state of the perimeter wall at Mumbai airport raises grave security concerns.
Besides being perilously close to slums, the wall is replete with gaping holes and dents. Moreover, a portion of the wall which had caved-in during monsoons, has still not been repaired. From the Air India Road in Kalina one can easily spot a huge gap in the wall, which has been temporarily covered with tin plates. "The patch has been lying in this state for the past five months now,'' said a security personnel.
"On one hand, we are sounding a red alert, but on the other hand the very wall surrounding the airport is broken,'' he added.
Moreover, the space-starved airport has also added an aircraft parking bay towards the Kalina side of the airport, with planes lined up only a stone's throw away from the busy road.
Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) said "most'' of the wall damaged during the monsoon has been repaired. "We have also put barbed wires on the wall,'' said an MIAL spokesperson. Though patrolling around the airport perimeter is said to have increased after the fresh terror warnings, the wall still remains a weak link in the security chain.
Considering that the perimeter is 18 km with only a limited number of security personnel to man it, instances of intrusions have remained fairly high. The CISF reported 21 incidents last year. This year, the police station alone recorded six cases of trespassing, while the CISF has reported many more.
"Though the number has come down, it is still quite rampant,'' said a CISF official. "People from the neighbouring slums often jump in to either get a closer view of the aircraft or, at times, to just relieve themselves,'' he added. Moreover, the perimeter is only seven feet tall when its height should ideally have been nine feet.
Earlier this year, there were talks of installing a perimeter intrusion system which would monitor movement in the area. This, too, has yet to be implemented. "The order has been placed for the system. The work will now start in a few days. Before that, we need a Bureau of Civil Aviation Security approval, which should not take long,'' said an MIAL spokesperson.On Sun, Feb 3, 2008 at 7:35 PM, Jagdeep DESAI <jagdeep.desai@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello,Looks like the new and fancy facilities and other modernisation steps to 'upgrade' Chhtrapati Shivaji International Airportappears only for good reading, particularly these pointsSome of the changes that have taken place at CSIA over the last few months are:
- additional check-in counters
- cleaner toilets
- better housekeeping
- improved signages
- more F&B options
- better kerbside management
- aesthetic changes
- smoother traffic flow
And though many airlines have now changed hands and names, CSIA still refers to them by their old ones
Domestic Terminal Airline Name | Code | Terminal Air Sahara S2 1B Air Deccan DN 1B Alliance Air CD 1A Go Air G8 1A Indian Airlines IC 1A Indigo 6E 1B Jet Airways 9W 1B Kingfisher Airlines IT 1A SpiceJet SG 1B
As all know by now, Air Sahara is JetLite, Air Deccan is Simplifly Deccan, Alliance Air is Indian Airlines is Indian is Air India.Like for instance
Note how the security men appearAlso,in reference to this and related reports
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM&login=default&AW=1196944555843
This is an absolutely shocker to the public transport system of Mumbai.
While most contemporary international airports have a virtually seamless and integrated rail and bus interchange, here we have this situation of doing away with a public bus service.
As one of the quotes says that the autos and taxis are fleecing passengers, MIAL and the MTP is doing nothing of substance to control that, in fact the unions have already managed to prevent their vehicles from being parked in the specially made lot.
They continue to occupy precious road space in and around the international and domestic terminals, and even entire service roads next to the AYJ WE Highway, between Bahar signal junction and Sahara Star.But that's not the point.
Actually when Terminal 1B was made, the covered porch was meant for pick up of arrived passengers by vehicles, private and public.
The underground parking space outside 1B is also given out to various companies for offices / storage.
In between, many years have passed, now this place has bee taken over by all kinds of VIP and VVIP pickups by not only department cars, but even any Tom Dick and Harry private taxis, which park under the porch for hours for their passenger.
Not only that, the specially designated place for drop and pickup for disabled and handicapped passengers, which was marked on the road, as well as with a glow sign, is usurped by inter terminal buses.
What is very odd is that there is already a VVIP / VIP pick up area to the 'back side' ie South side of Terminal 1B, but is not used as it should, mainly because it lacks visibility from the public glare!
Which self respecting VVIP / VIP wants to leave the airport unnoticed?
Who are these VVIP and VIP anyway?
Are all government officials of any rank allowed, and so on?
Film stars, sports persons, other celebrities?
Also, a small portion of this precious porch is alloted to the over pampered taxi and auto unions, their vehicles are given preferential treatment for reasons best known to the authorities.
Most of the rest of the passengers are dumped onto the main road outside, till recently they had no shade or shelter, some time ago, a temporary shade of synthetic material was put up.Now some work is going on under the porch of 1B, hopefully, it will be for all of us Citizens, and have access for private vehicles, as well.
But where the 'new 1A' has been completed, VVIP / VIP have virtually taken over the public spaces as well.
Even though though the management of CSIA has now been handed over to GVK, from the AAI, it seems the VVIP / VIP syndrome is well entrenched.
The VVIP / VIP vehicles, all and sundry, their flunkies' vehicles, security vehicles, security persons, their supporters, all adversely contribute to the unbelievable jams and chaos right at the exit from the departures area.
Give them a separate area far away from us, after all we are also VIP, 'Very Insignificant People', so that we, the VIP, are safe and secure from any untoward or undesirable situation which may arise, and inocents from our side of VIP may be affected in anyway.
Give us our public space, allow us to move freely from departures, and allow us to pick up passengers from arrivals without any such VVIP / VIP blockages.
Let those VVIP / VIP have their own area, and they had one, in the AAI days, but then, they want to be seen, but we don't want to see them.Take a look at this VIP, racing through huge crowds at Sahar 2C arrivals, image 117.
And if that was not enough, taxis and autos bunch up outside on the roads, to get whatever customers they can.
But that is a matter of discipline.
For the present situation, MIAL and MTP should concentrate on relieving the total chaos which occurs almost any time of day on the roads leading to the airport terminals, and on the AYJ WE Highway.
Now that there is the flyover work ongoing at Centaur Airport Hotel / Jal Hotel Signal on Ali Yavar Jung Western Express Highway, and add to that, internal traffic directions changed within the domestic terminal area of CSIA, it may be useful to consider a change, and put on serious trial, on the way traffic enters and exits both the domestic and international complexes of CSIA.An no, the jams are not due to the work alone, it is due to the wrong, anti clockwise entry and exit from CSIA Santa Cruz, believe it or not, which can be substantially be reduced if the pattern / alignment is changed.
DOMESTIC
With the construction work, traffic hold up in both directions around the junctions are now throughout the day.
With the exit from the departures being cut through the 'centre' of the parking lot and opening out at the point where traffic currently enters and bifurcates to both the terminals 1A and 1B, it means there is every chance of head on collisions taking place.See images 150, 725, 726.But such scenes are throughout the day and night, and very dangerous in the night.
Apart from the safety aspect, it would make logical sense for the traffic to be realigned and made to follow a 'clockwise' direction entering the terminal complex, and of course, exiting it.
This means, entry should be to the North of Sahara Star, and exit South of Sahara Star, exactly contra to what is at present.
Apart from the shiny building and now dazzling lighting on the roads, people should enter and leave the airport complex in a hassle free manner.
As it is, private taxis, taxis, airline contracted vehicles, autos, postal vehicles, and many other vehicles do not bother about the one ways within, and go against the traffic, making it dangerous for most vehicles trying to negotiate the road.
This realignment will relieve traffic and make for far less 'cutting' and crossing' of lanes, less dangerous, at both the signals as well, because the flow will be more organised, both, entering, and exiting traffic.
I have enclosed a sketch plan of this.
INTERNATIONAL
Similarly, the traffic going up the departures ramp and below for the arrivals, can also be realigned, so as to make for smoother and easier flow.
At present it is utter chaos at the intersection on the departures level.
Vehicles turn left for Terminal 2A, natural flow, and turn right for 2C, against the natural flow, loading, unloading takes place in oncoming traffic on the left side of the vehicle.
Vehicles wanting to go up to 2C should go up from the North East, ie left wing of the ramp, where they presently come down, and finally exit with all other vehicles at the South West ramp.
This will give a far more smoother flow to the traffic.
Also, MIAS should open up the walls of 2A, put large glass windows, which would enable those seeing off passengers to view their people inside, and relieve the congestion at the entrance points.
Vehicles also should be guided into unloading spots which are available all along the long building, but due to the psychology of getting as close to the gate, cars bunch up.
It's not very difficult.
Besides, for the arrivals, also, it si totally against logic to have the vehicles come in from the 'left' of the base of the ramp, and come out onto the exit.
Instead, all vehicles should be made to go straight on, at Ambassador signal, turn right with the flow of the road, and enter the arrivals area.
It's another thing that to generate revenue, MIAL ahs stopped the system of pick up from arrivals, instead vehicles are forcibly directed into the pay and park area.
A plan for this, too, is enclosed.
It so happens that I have studied the traffic pattern since 1980, ever since my thesis project for a domestic airport at Santa Cruz, when I was a student at Sir JJ College of Architecture, and have been a user since then.
FOND HOPE
If you feel this will benefit the passengers and others, well, its for immediate implementation, otherwise we continue this utter, but totally avoidable chaos at our gateway to Mumbai.Jagdeep DESAI
ArchitectSecretaryFounder TrusteeForum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai / SuburbsIQOLMS+91 98 6922 7148
Attachment(s) from Jagdeep DESAI
2 of 2 Photo(s)
No comments:
Post a Comment