TIRUCHY: With two fatal accidents alone being reported near the entrance of the Tiruchy international airport during night-time in the past three months, air passengers and motorists alike seek the authorities concerned to urgently improve lighting on the highway stretch leading to the facility. Located on the Tiruchy-Pudukkottai national highway, the Tiruchy airport has been witnessing a surge in operations, particularly after its integrated terminal began functional in June 2024.
While pointing to the modern amenities and enhanced lighting in the terminal building, passengers complain that the airport entrance is shrouded in darkness, making the international facility “unsafe”.
Substantiating the concerns, the police said two fatal accidents alone occurred right outside the airport entrance during the past three months when vehicles were accessing the facility at night. Motorists using the NH leading to the airport, meanwhile, complain the poor lighting makes it difficult to spot pedestrians or slow-moving vehicles near the entrance.
Joining the passengers and commuters, local residents said they also had raised the matter several times with the authorities concerned but in vain. With several flights being operated in the late evening and night hours, they urge the airport authorities to coordinate with the city corporation and others concerned to resolve the issue without further delay.
I Saddam, a frequent traveller and resident of Beema Nagar, said, "The lack of streetlights creates confusion among passengers and motorists during heavy rain or fog, when the visibility drops further, making the stretch extremely dangerous. Waiting outside the airport at night is frightening as incidents like chain snatching are more likely."
Meanwhile, Ward 65 councillor KK Ambikapathi said, "It is shocking that such a major international airport does not even have basic lighting at its entrance. Every time I pick someone up at night, I feel I am taking a risk. We have complained several times but the airport authorities keep passing the blame. As flight operations continue to expand, the risk will only increase unless immediate steps are taken to illuminate the stretch better."
The issue was also taken up during several corporation council meetings, he stressed. When contacted, an airport official told TNIE that a high mast light would be installed at the airport entrance within a month. Meanwhile, a senior official with the city corporation, which is responsible for the lighting on the Tiruchy-Pudukkottai NH, said steps are being taken to set up lights on the stretch leading to the airport. They will be installed soon, the official added.