New Delhi: A rare demand has been raised by Members of Parliament to have a nodal officer from paramilitary forces to extend courtesy and care to them whenever they visit an airport.
Similarly, the MPs have also demanded for a “behavior sensitization” programme of employees at toll plazas on National Highways.
Both the demands to be proposed in the House committee meeting on Monday, will be raised in front of the Parliamentary panel responsible for allotting accommodation and taking care of facilities for MPs.
The demands have been necessitated seeing the ignorance of security personnel at the airport and unjust behavior of toll plaza employees towards the parliamentarians.
There had been certain complaints registered by MPs due to which they have asked for such norms. According to a Times of India report, a member of the panel has told that although there are laid down norms that MPs are allowed to enter an airport irrespective of whether they are travelling, the security personnel often ask for tickets even after they have been shown the identity card.
"When we are allowed to enter an airport only with our identity card what is the logic behind security personnel posing questions. Deployment of a nodal officer would help avoid such problems that MPs have to face”, he said.
Similarly, he told, at several toll plazas identity cards of MPs are scanned and then a senior person is called upon by the attendants to verify the name.
"Sometimes the delay at toll plaza is 10-15 minutes. Why can't they refer to the book on Who's Who to verify or recognize the sticker, which are issued only to MPs?" he asked.
Sometimes they are even asked to pay charges at some of the toll plazas despite the new rules exempting them for the tax.
As known through the government sources, there is some confusion due to two notifications in 2008 and 2010. While prior to 2008, MPs enjoyed this exemption, later it was withdrawn. The exemption was reinstated in 2010 by notifying a new rule.
Since some of the toll roads that were awarded between 2008 and 2010 did not have this exemption in their contract agreement, some developers still insist on MPs paying toll charges.
