Mumbai:
Time and again, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for Mumbai airport's security, has proclaimed that it has reduced touting at the airport. Besides, the Mumbai police too has expressed its heartfelt desire to make the airport a tout-free zone. However, DNA caught on camera touts doing brisk business at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), right under the nose of the two law enforcement agencies.
Dressed in crisp white shirt and navy blue trousers, the touts have an identity card hanging from their neck. Seen from a distance, they look like the airport staff, always ready to help you find a hotel room or a rental car. But mind you, this is all a well-planned illusion. These touts operate at the CSIA even as the business is illegal in India. On July 2010, the CISF started a drive to remove these touts from the airport. In fact, this drive was planned after passengers complained of touts harassing them and overcharging them for hotel and transport.
But DNA's test drive, on the night of December 6, showed that the 'drive' has been unsuccessful as CSIA's arrival terminal 2A, Sahar, is infested with these touts.
Whenever passengers come out of the terminal, these touts rush to them asking if they require a hotel room or a car. Surprisingly, this business thrives in front of the tourism police van, stationed right in front of the arrival gate.
Modus OperandiIn order to be noticed by the passengers, the touts have devised a modus operandi. They are either dressed like airport staff or they come and stand with a placard that has a fake passenger name. "The ones dressed like airport staff in blue trousers and white shirt belong to 'Suri gang' and can be seen with walkie-talkies," said a source from the airport.
These touts either ask the passengers directly if they want a hotel room or approach them as the hotel staff. "The 'fake' hotel staff then tells the passengers that he has come to pick them up in a car and while on the way to the hotel tells him that their booking has been cancelled. Annoyed at the last minute cancellation, the harried passenger then requests the tout to find some place and is ready to shell out more money. Then the tout takes him to the hotel, for whom he has been soliciting, and takes his 'fee' from the passenger as well as the hotel," says the source.
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