March 1: The Airport Authority of India has decided to shift daily courier cargo being handled at Sahar International airport to a new terminal. This decision, taken recently at a meeting with representatives of the Express Industry Council of India (EICI), a body representing courier companies, and customs and airport police officers, will free the terminal of cargo piles which were hindering passenger movement.The move, informed Airport Director P S Nair, will ensure more space for passengers at the terminal, which, in recent years, has been used for storage by courier companies. Said Nair, ``About 12 immigration counters in the eastern wing were lying idle as the space was flooded with thousands of parcels. Immigration checks at these counters will resume once the area is vacated by the couriers.''The new terminal has been constructed outside the airport building by the Airport Authority of India (AAI), and couriers have been instructed to shift. The AAI plans to recover a fixed license fee fromcourier companies for use of the airport premises.Pointed out Nair, ``About ten years ago, courier cargo was manageable inside the airport, but due to an unprecedented increase in the cargo being handled, we felt the need to shift their operations outside the passenger terminals.'' Courier cargo tends to get problematic especially during the nights, when several international flights get bunched together. It both hampers passenger movement and delays the recovery of baggage on the conveyor belt, he said.Courier companies are predictably unhappy with this move. Said a spokesperson of the EICI, although the nitty gritties of the deal had been worked out, a formal agreement was yet to be signed with the AAI. ``The issue will only be decided when we sign an agreement. As of now, we are watching for further developments'' he said.Nair, however, said there was no question of anybody waiting for `further developments', and the operations should have been shifted since February 16 itself. ``In the jointmeeting with EICI representatives and customs and police officials, the Council and other key courier companies had expressed their willingness to shift from February 16. But no, they are coming up with vague excuses,'' Nair charged.``The couriers should know that nothing comes for free. They have used the terminal area for long without paying the AAI any fee. Now that we have provided them a separate facility entirely at our own cost, they will have to pay the agreed amount,'' he said.
