Cars and taxis parked illegally outside the international terminal building at Calcutta airport. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Cars and taxis parked illegally on the airport premises can be towed away. The owner will have to pay a fine of Rs 100 and the towing cost to get the vehicle back.

Approach roads to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport and the stretch between the two terminal buildings are high security, no-parking zones. But at least 50 cars and taxis can be seen parked there during peak hours — despite there being paid parking lots — posing a threat to airport security.

The airport authorities and police have joined hands to crack down on errant vehicles and their drivers. While first-time offenders will be fined and let off, those violating the rule more than once will have their vehicles towed away. To register the offence, the driver’s licence will be punched as well.

“The approach roads to the airport and the stretch between the domestic and international terminal buildings must remain free of traffic. Or else, emergency vehicles like fire tenders and airport inspection jeeps will not have free access to strategic points. Unauthorised parking in these areas poses a risk to the airport,” said Mahesh Kaul, the general manager (operations) of the Airports Authority of India, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.

“The airport is a probable terror target. Cars or taxis parked illegally in the high-security zone can be used for reconnaissance before an attack,” said a senior officer of the airport police station.

The officer claimed the law violation continued so long because of a staff crunch at the police station and the absence of wreckers and tow-cranes. The authorities have been approached to boost the staff strength of the police station for effective patrolling.

“There are police barricades on the stretches where parking is banned. But lax vigil, because of inadequate personnel, makes it easy for the drivers to violate the rule,” added another officer.

Airport officials said the number of flights to and from the city has increased from 130 a day in 2006 to about 350 in 2008. The number of passengers using the airport has gone up by about 30 per cent but there has been “no significant increase” in parking space.