The Sri Lankan government's move to dismantle the notorious airport cab mafia by introducing ride-hailing giants like PickMe and Uber has garnered a mixed response from the public. While many initially praised the decision as a step toward fairer and more efficient airport transportation, recent revelations have sparked concerns.

It has come to light that the agreement between the Airport Aviation Company and PickMe includes a provision where the aviation company receives Rs. 700 from every ride booked through PickMe at the airport. This has raised questions about whether the government's efforts to combat the cab mafia are truly achieving their intended goals.

What appears to be happening is the creation of a specially designated area at the airport, and every ride originating from this zone incurs an additional charge of approximately Rs. 700. In essence, whether passengers book a PickMe cab through the app or opt for traditional counter service, they will face an extra Rs. 700 fee on top of the regular fare.

This revelation has left some passengers feeling disillusioned, as they had hoped for a more transparent and cost-effective transportation solution at the airport. Critics argue that instead of dismantling the existing mafia, the government may have inadvertently given rise to a new form of monopoly in airport transportation.