November 10: Trolleys are in short supply at Mumbai airport, but as harried passengers anxiously await their chance to cart away their belongings every day, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and airport police have been busy blasting each other for ``taking undue advantage of the scarcity.''Airport police have, in the last one month, confiscated the identity cards of over 10 AAI workers from the international and domestic terminals for procuring trolleys for arriving passengers, allegedly to make a quick buck. The AAI, on its part, says police have been clamping down on any of its workers seen pushing trolleys, even if it is to help a passenger, and confiscating IDs to make it impossible for AAI employees to carry out their duties.Deputy commissioner of police (airport zone) Sanjay Saxena told Express Newsline: ``We have observed that several AAI workers have been taking advantage of the shortage of trolleys at the airport by quickly securing a few trolleys for needy passengers to earn tips. The passengers who don't pay up are left stranded and complain to the authorities.'' He said the police were forced to confiscate the IDs of 10 AAI workers in the last month as they were not supposed to be associated with the trolley work, which is done by specially designated workers.The AAI maintains that this is ``sheer high-handedness'' of the airport police. ``It is understandable if the police simply fine the erring employees, but once the ID is confiscated, workers cannot report to duty and thus lose their daily wages,'' said the branch secretary of the AAI Workers Union, L S Dewarde. He said the workers have already brought this to the notice of top AAI officials and had also staged a dharna at the airport last month.``We will hold another demonstration if the police do not stop this random confiscation of IDs. The erring workers should be pulled up by the AAI and not the police, who could even take action merely out of spite. In fact, just four days ago, the airport police fined a sweeper Rs 500 for pushing the trolley of an aged passenger. Not content with the fine, the cops are now searching for the sweeper to confiscate his ID too,'' said Dewarde.When contacted, senior airport officials in Mumbai said only the AAI spokesperson in Delhi is authorised to comment on the issue.However, sources admitted there is a pressing need for at least 1,500 more trolleys at the international and domestic terminals in Mumbai. At present there are about 5,000 trolleys available at the airport terminals for around 7,000 passengers arriving every day. Every year, there are nearly 4.5 million arrivals and departures at the airport.An order for 1,500 additional trolleys has been proposed by AAI. Reportedly, over a year ago, around 160 temporary workers assigned the job of pushing trolleys had moved the Supreme Court asking for regularising of their duties at the airport. The apex court had granted a stay on the matter and directed the Labour Court to further look into the case. The case is still pending.
