On the 15th, I landed at the new IGI terminal from Hyderabad at about 12.10. Hyderabad was a good experience, but most importantly i realized the most striking things about Delhi as soon as I landed.
The Delhi IGI airport is truly international now (at least by the looks of it), swank restaurants, shops and more. The saddest part is that the people have failed to change their attitude. This is reflected in the what happened when i went to the pre-paid taxi booth (manned by the Delhi police)
So I walked up and said that i wanted to go to C R Park (South Delhi), and gave him a 500 ruppee note. In a moment, he took out a 100 ruppee note and said, sir you need to give me more (as the fare was 150 ruppee). Well, I had just landed and was a bit taken aback as I really did not expect this to happen. I did not say anything (call it my fault) and gave him another hundred.
On the back of my mind was the fact that I had indeed given Rs. 500 and, was having a look at my wallet content and doing the math. I decided to go back, just when I was to turn the guy shouts back and call me. He says I think I made a mistake (?) you had given a Rs. 500 note. The irony is that the notes are so different that this mistake is next to impossible. So this is incident #1 at our superb capital city airport manned by its own police force.
Me think the structure of the notes should also change, given people manning such crucial places make mistakes. Lets put other politicians on the notes, enough of Gandhi’ ji on the notes.
Now that I had the cab (and my money), I decided not to take this matter up and headed to pre-paid taxi area. Got a nice guy who did not crib about going to South Delhi. As we were getting out, so one random “employee” of the “private” airport got into my car repeatedly saying he needed to go to Chirag Delhi and showed me his card. I said no, I do not wish anyone. He still got on forcefully, (did not catch his name, but he got off duty at 12.30 at night and is apparently some security guy there) and said he never gets on car unless the occupants allow him to (which I did not).
It had been a long day, and no energy left. Told him to shut up and sit quietly, while we headed back to home. After he got down, I asked the cab driver if this happens often. Apparently it does happen often, and inevitably they force themselves upon the occupants. This was incident #2 by the security staff at the airport.
The saddest part is that we have awesome infrastructure, but we our thinking is completely selfish. I would have not said no to this so-called employee if he had not forced himself into the cab. On average, a good experience is marred by these corrupt individuals out to exploit their clients / customers.
So DAIL and Delhi police get a big thumbs down for not ensuring better personnel manning these place.