CHENNAI: Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Sunday inaugurated the newly developed pickup plaza in front of the domestic terminal (T1) at the Chennai airport through video conference. The facility is aimed at streamlining passenger pickup operations and easing traffic congestion in front of the terminal.
Developed at a cost of Rs 22.88 crore, including GST, the facility has been created as a dedicated and regulated area for vehicles arriving to pick up passengers. Initially, cab aggregators including Uber, Ola, Rapido, Fast Track, Red Taxi, WTi and prepaid taxis will operate from the plaza. The facility is expected to be extended to other yellow-board vehicles after the new system is streamlined, the Airport Authority of India said.
Located around 30 metres from T1, the plaza has a seating capacity for 150 passengers and is equipped with covered roofing, drinking water facilities, a flight information display system and other passenger amenities.
The facility has three dedicated traffic lanes, each seven metres wide. While lanes A and B will be used for passenger pickup, lane C will serve as the exit lane and has a U-turn facility. The two pickup lanes can accommodate around 28 vehicles at a time. Airport authorities said the facility would help segregate and regulate pickup traffic and reduce the dependence on the kerbside area in front of the terminal.