Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under R.N.I 53640/91
Vol. XXXIV No. 8, August 1-15, 2024
New cab pick-up point at Chennai airport invites ire from passengers
-- by Varsha V.
Earlier this week, news reports emerged about a change in the designated taxi pickup point at Chennai airport for both domestic and international passengers. The new pickup locations have now been shifted from the traditional flagpole area to the second and third floors of the multi-level car parkin the Aerohub West building. Covered ramps have been established to facilitate people to move to the new pickup location. The relocation is reportedly intended to ease traffic congestion at the airport exit by consolidating taxi pickups in a single area, but passengers are discovering that it means walking longer distances to reach their cabs. The inconvenience is particularly felt by individuals and families arriving on international flights, as they have heavy luggage to contend with as well. Reports say that taxi booking apps had already updated the new airport pickup location, but the change still caused confusion as there was a lack of staff to direct passengers; also, officials have provided 18 battery-operated vehicles to help passengers from the domestic terminal to the Aerohub building, but it was of little help as many were unaware of the switch. Further, people found that the first elevator at the multi-level car park could carry only two people at a time, which generated long queues and longer waiting times for both passengers and taxi drivers; though there were additional elevators, the queue persisted due to the lack of guidance. A family from Dubai told the Times of India that the experience was especially strenuous given that the group comprised children and senior citizens; many other travellers have voiced their complaints over the poor communication.
It is true that the Chennai airport exits see congestion. According to a frequent domestic traveller who spoke to Madras Musings, the queues at the exit toll booths are sometimes so long that even cars zipping through the airport for quick pick-ups and drops find themselves forced to pay the toll charge for exceeding the free 10-minute time limit. Making matters worse are the dogs, she says; while she hasn’t seen them trouble passengers, she has witnessed a couple of dog fights that scared the children and elderly waiting for their vehicles.
The current move is admittedly in line with traffic arrangements at aero hubs like Mumbai and Bengaluru, where taxis have been assigned specific pickup points. There too, passengers walk fairly long distances; but the signage is clear enough, and waiting rooms with seats are available for those who need to rest their feet or lay down their luggage. It appears that the Chennai airport is giving passengers the short end of the stick, for the near future at least – it has rolled out a rather vexing change that offers little respite or amenities to passengers. The silver lining is that private vehicles are still allowed to pick up passengers from the arrival terminals, and taxis are allowed inside to pick up the elderly or differently-abled.
Chennai airport officials are reportedly making a few arrangements to make the transition better. Taxi counters have been set on the ground floor of the multi-level car park to take bookings and also assist passengers. Work is also underway to add sunshades to open areas, a welcome move. As reported earlier in this column, mobility is a key, unique strength of Chennai airport, particularly among metros. One hopes that the facility works to hold onto this advantage while solutioning for existing problems.
