AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Monday lauded the Centre’s initiative to start an affordable food joint flight passenger cafe at the Kolkata airport, and said the ministry has finally heeded the needs of the common man. Calling this step a ‘positive step’, Chadda said, ‘Finally, the government has heard the voice of the common people. While this initiative has started from the Kolkata airport, I hope it will expand to all airports across the country. This will ensure that air travelers do not have to pay Rs 100 to Rs 250 for basic items like water, tea or coffee.
During the discussion on the Indian Aviation Bill 2024 in the winter session of the Parliament, Chadha raised the issue of high prices of food and drinks at the airport and said, “A bottle of water costs Rs 100, tea costs Rs 200-250. Can’t the government open a cheap canteen at the airport?
The Rajya Sabha member also criticized the poor state of airport operations where passengers often face long queues, overcrowding and disorganization.
A few days after Chadha’s speech, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday announced the launch of Udan Yatri Cafe as a pilot project at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. If successful, it will be extended to other airports managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The cafe will provide essential items like bottled water, tea, coffee and snacks at reasonable prices.
Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjrapu inaugurated the cafe on the occasion of 100 years of Kolkata Airport. It is a matter of happiness that Kolkata Airport has completed 100 years today and on this occasion the Minister has inaugurated Udan Cafe so that common people can also get good facilities here and our efforts will be to provide excellent facilities. Not only at the national level but also at the global level to every citizen,” AAI president Bipin Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
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