CHENNAI: The pick-up plaza in front of the T1 domestic terminal which had remained unused for nearly nine months after it was built in last December, will soon be put to use.
Around 28 cabs will be able to access the plaza simultaneously through two dedicated pick-up lanes in front of the terminal soon, as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working on a new traffic circulation plan at the Chennai Airport, according to official sources.
The move comes major relief to air passengers who have, for nearly two years, had to trudge to the multi-level car park (MLCP) to board app-based cabs.
The new arrangement will initially allow cab operators currently running booking counters at the West MLCP to extend their pick-up services to the plaza. Uber, Ola, Rapido, Fast Track, Red Taxi, Prepaid Taxi, and WTI are among the operators expected to use the facility, a Chennai Airport spokesperson said.
While a specific opening date is yet to be formalised, it is learnt that the Chennai Airport is planning to permit only vehicles with confirmed passenger bookings to be allowed to leave the West MLCP and proceed to the plaza to prevent the facility from becoming another waiting area for taxis.
“Vehicles parked in the West MLCP will be validated by their respective staff, and those with confirmed bookings will be permitted to exit the West MLCP to pick up customers at the Plaza,” an AAI spokesperson added.
The system is intended to cut waiting time for cabs and prevent congestion around the new facility. Taxis that are not part of the new arrangement will continue to pick up passengers from the West MLCP, where the existing booking counters and pick-up services will remain available.
The inauguration of the plaza, which was built at a cost of Rs 28.72 crore, was delayed due to possible legal challenges from the airport’s previous parking contractor. AAI has now moved to operationalise the facility after appointing a consultant to redraw the routes for private and commercial vehicles. A provisional plan has been submitted and the route changes are understood to be in the final stages.
Martin Louis, a passenger who recently returned from Delhi, told TNIE that the ordeal often does not end with the long walk. “Passengers are taken for ransom. After booking a cab and reaching the MLCP, drivers demand an additional `100 over the stipulated fare. Having walked all the way from the terminal, passengers have little choice but to pay,” he said, stressing the need for a regulator to ensure that drivers do not overcharge passengers.