High parking fee at Tiruchy airport terminal leads to spat with non-Tamil staff

TIRUCHY: All is well with the parking slots in the new terminal which can park 750 cars, 250 taxis, 10 buses along with around 500 two-wheelers but for what fare a question arrives at everyone who visits the Tiruchy International Airport’s new terminal.

According to sources, the fare for an hour is fixed at Rs 70 and the amount doubles and even goes up to Rs 500 if the parking time is more.

“If the flights get delayed, the car drivers spend more money for their parking. The staff employed are non-Tamil speaking people and there is no point in arguing with them as they behave so rudely. They neither know Tamil nor know English and our argument might end unhealthy,” Karthikeyan, a regularly visiting driver said.

He argues that a Tier II city like Tiruchy should not have a non-Tamil staff, who has to communicate with people mostly familiar with Tamil or English.

“At times, heated arguments erupt between the public and the staff at the parking slot. They are very particular to collect Rs 20 for bikes and demand double the amount of time exceeds an hour. This is horrible,” Karthikeyan said.

Meanwhile, it is so pathetic that the cleanliness staff carry the garbage collected from the terminal to a garbage yard placed close to the main road.

They wait until the bins get filled, and carry them to the yard as there are no garbage disposal systems available at the terminal.

Strong winds bring down trees, snap power lines in The Nilgiris

Coimbatore: Days after torrential rains battered the Nilgiris district, intense winds began to wreak havoc resulting in several tree falls and power disruptions in the hills.

More than ten villages in Coonoor were drowned in darkness as tree falls led to the snapping of power lines and falling of electric poles in areas such as ‘Karadi Pallam’, Bharat Nagar and ‘Kalkuzhi’ localities. Staff from the electricity department is working round the clock to restore power connectivity.

Also, the uprooted trees that fell on the track between Aruvankadu and Ketti railway stations led to the suspension of train services between Coonoor and Ooty.

Tourists who travelled by the NMR train were disappointed as the train was stopped in Coonoor. They were then sent by bus from Coonoor to Ooty. The tracks got damaged due to the impact of falling trees and repair works are under way.

Two families rushed out and escaped narrowly after a huge tree got uprooted and fell on their two houses in Pudumund in Coonoor. The inmates, who were in deep sleep, woke up shocked on hearing the loud thud and came out soon after the tree fell. The Doddabetta Peak was closed to tourists due to tree falls blocking the way to the tourist destination.

Trees also fell on the road bound to over 50 villages located in Nanjanad, Emerald, Upper Bhavani and Avalanche areas. Joint teams of fire and rescue personnel, highways and revenue department are on their toes clearing the fallen trees.