« House prices to hit the roof | Home | Rs 7,000 cr to be spent on city »
GMR plans airport shuttle
Posted by Srini Uppala | December 7, 2007 | 2,101 views
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...For those fazed by the distance to the new airport at Shamshabad and traffic enroute, the GMR group has decided to launch shuttle services from 15 locations in the twin cities. Those who are willing to pay a bit more can ride radio taxis run by GMR.
If all goes well, passengers will be able to check in their luggage at Secunderabad railway station or at Paryatak Bhavan. Till that time, baggage can be checked in at the two locations but will have to be identified at the airport. The biggest complaint of passengers was the distance to the new airport, the Begumpet airport being in the heart of the city. The traffic on roads leading to the new airport was another turn-off. The new offerings should be a sweetner.
It may, of course, put an end to the practice of the entire family flocking to the airport to see off or receive their dear ones. The tearful reunions will have to take place on the footpaths. The plan is to deploy 125 air-conditioned buses to operate as shuttles, in line with services at international airports like Charles de Gaulle airport at Paris and Heathrow at London. Fifty of the buses will be reserved for airport staff and 75 for passengers.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited director, Mr Prasanna Challa, told this correspondent that the service would be ready by March 16 when the airport opens.
Buses will run to the airport and back at 15-minute intervals during peak hours and at 30-minute intervals at other times. “Each passenger will have to pay Rs 75 for a trip,” said Mr Challa. The shuttles will pick up passengers from around the city at Sainikpuri, Gachibowli, Charminar, Medhipatnam, Necklace Road, Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, Dilsukhnagar, Uppal, Tarnaka, Secunderabad Railway Station, Begumpet airport, Paryatak Bhavan, Erragadda, Jubilee Hills and Hitech City. GMR will operate 100 radio taxies from the airport.
“For those traveling on a budget, we will have the bus service,” he said. “For those whom time is of essence, we have the radio cabs. Passengers will be charged Rs 15 per km in the cab service.” GHIAL is in talks with Hertz, Megacab, Orix and V-Links from India and Comfort Cab and SMRT from Singapore to initiate the cab service. GMR will be using radio frequency identification technology, or RFID, for cargo handling.
“We contacted Volvo for the bus service but their vehicles are priced at about Rs 75 lakh each, which is too expensive,” said GHIAL manager, Mr Sourabh Jain. “Tata and Ashok Leyland are ready to provide similar buses at about Rs 50 lakh.” About checking in baggage in the city itself, Mr Challa said, “We have the technology and system in place.” “Once we get clearance from DGCA, luggage hassles will be solved to a great extent. Till that time, passengers will have to identify their luggage manually at the airport.”
SOURCES:
Deccan Chronicle
Topics: Travel, Infrastructure |
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.