AAI plans to open second pick-up point at airport in Dec. after multiple delays

The ongoing plaza work at Chennai airport has missed yet another deadline and will be ready only by December. This means, air passengers have to keep waiting for another month to have access to a pick-up point near the terminals for taking cabs.

At present, arriving passengers either walk or take a buggy to the multi-level car parking to board cabs and most of them are upset over this arrangement. If the plaza is opened, then passengers can hail a cab at this spot. 

The plaza project commenced in 2023 targeting launch by October 2024. But the project has been behind schedule, missing the deadlines. It now appears that the facility would be completed only in December.

Advance stages

Officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said, the work is in advanced stages of completion. “When the plaza is ready, we have to hold discussions with the existing car parking contractor before starting the pick-up point so that there are no legal issues later. Meanwhile, we will also carry out trials for change of traffic flow. Then, we have to ask the AAI headquarters in New Delhi for a date for the inauguration of the plaza,” an official said.

Vidyasagar Jagadeesan, a frequent flyer said, a long walk or wait for a buggy aside, one of the main issues is the lifts in the parking facility, which aren’t sufficient to handle the crowds during peak hours.

“The lifts should have been substantially large keeping in mind that passengers will carry multiple bags or trolleys,” he said. Also, a small project like a plaza shouldn’t have been delayed by a year, he added. “When authorities announce a deadline, people have expectations and look forward to it. We hope that at least by December end, the plaza will be open,” he said.

New contractor

It is to be noted that after the contract which AAI had with the previous firm running the multi-level car parking facility was terminated, AAI has now taken over the facility. A new car parking contractor has been roped in who has been controlling the traffic and pick-up and drop-off within the airport premises. The multi-level car parking facility was built as a mall and parking space.

Now that the contract with the previous firm has been terminated, AAI has been reviewing the decision on a few other aspects like the contracts with the existing shop owners in the mall and whether or not to bring on board a master concessionaire at a later point for managing the mall.