Parking a car at the Calcutta airport will be free for the next seven days.

The cash crisis resulting from last week's demonetisation of bank notes of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations has prompted the Airports Authority of India to waive the fees.

The fee at the Bagdogra airport has been waived, too.

"From midnight on Monday till November 21, parking at the airport's car park and in front of the departure and arrival lounges will be free," Atul Dixit, the director of the Calcutta airport, said. "Those parking cars at the airport as well as the agency looking after parking are facing problems paying in changes."

Parking charges have been waived at all private and government-controlled airports in the country following a circular issued by the civil aviation ministry.

At the Calcutta airport, the minimum parking fee (for two hours) is Rs 100 for cars and Rs 110 for SUVs. For the next seven hours, Rs 20 is added for each hour.

Officials of the agency managing the parking facility said many car owners were giving Rs 2,000 notes for a Rs 100 fee. "How can our men pay Rs 1,900 to everyone? The situation has become unmanageable," said Babulal Yadav of MS Enterprise, which manages the airport parking facility.

Hospital payment

Medica Superspecialty Hospital announced on Monday that patients hit by the cash crunch could pay after treatment. Hospital director Alok Roy said: "We are offering them instalments. They can also pay one-time within a reasonable time. They have to submit their identity proof documents for that."