CHENNAI: A new passenger plaza with an integrated pick-up point at Chennai Airport, built to improve the arrival experience for passengers, has been completed after more than three years of slow-paced construction. However, despite the work being over for more than three months, the facility remains unopened.
According to airport sources, while the infrastructure is fully ready, the facility cannot be opened until it receives clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The approval is pending, causing the continued delay.
Passengers have urged the Airports Authority of India to expedite the necessary approvals and open the plaza at the earliest, saying the long-awaited facility would improve the overall arrival experience at Chennai Airport.
The plaza, located opposite Terminal 1 in the airport's arrival area, was conceived by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in 2023 to ease congestion and reduce the inconvenience faced by arriving passengers. Construction was initially scheduled for completion by October 2024, but the project was delayed until May 2026.
Airport officials had earlier indicated that the facility would become operational by the second week of July. However, with July over and August underway, the plaza remains closed.
Passengers arriving on international flights often spend over an hour completing immigration, collecting baggage and clearing customs. They then face another long wait for battery-operated shuttle vehicles to reach the multi-level car parking pick-up point. As a result, passengers said it can take up to three hours from landing to leaving the airport.
The upcoming plaza is expected to address these issues by offering a dedicated pick-up point along with passenger-friendly amenities such as luggage storage lockers, seating areas, mobile charging stations, snack kiosks, souvenir shops and restrooms.