CHENNAI: After a nearly two-year delay, Chennai airport’s Rs 22.88-crore Pick-up Point Plaza will finally be inaugurated tomorrow (September 13) and is expected to provide relief to passengers and airport staff while improving traffic management at Chennai Airport.
The facility was initially scheduled to be inaugurated in person by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on September 12. However, the inauguration was postponed as he could not attend, and the minister will now inaugurate it via video conference at 11 am on Sunday.
Built by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to make it easier for arriving passengers to board hired vehicles, the plaza was originally scheduled to become operational by October 2024. Work began in September 2023.
Although construction was completed by January this year, the facility remained closed amid delays in obtaining clearances and scheduling the inauguration.
Located around 30 metres in front of Terminal 1, the pick-up plaza will allow passengers to board vehicles without walking long distances or changing levels.
Currently, international passengers, who already spend considerable time clearing immigration, collecting baggage and completing customs formalities, also have to wait for battery-operated shuttle services to reach the multi-level car parking pick-up point. As a result, passengers say the process from landing to leaving the airport can take up to three hours.
The new pick-up facility has three seven-metre-wide lanes. Lanes A and B will be used for passenger pick-ups, while Lane C will serve as the exit lane. U-turn points have also been provided, and the two pick-up lanes can accommodate around 28 vehicles at a time.
Uber, Ola, Rapido, Fastrack, Red Taxi, WTi and prepaid taxis will initially be permitted to use the facility. Other yellow-board vehicles may be allowed later once the system is functioning smoothly.
The plaza also has seating for around 150 passengers, drinking water facilities and announcements on flight arrivals and departures.