Passengers leaving int’l arrival terminal hit a speed breaker

Suhashini R TNN   30,03.2018

Chennai: Travellers who walk out of the international arrival terminal face an inconvenience – a hump at the exit where they find it difficult to manoeuvre baggage-laden trolleys and wheelchairs.

The exit pathway was recently relocated to accommodate construction of a walkalator tube near international terminal. More than 10,000 people use the terminal every day.

The hump, located at the point where the pathway from the ground floor terminal joins the road under the flyover, affects passengers. The bags fall off the trolley, while airport staff members struggle to balance the wheelchair.

R Reddy, a frequent traveller, said that “international travellers have trolleys full of suitcases. They are not able to use the trolley. I helped a few passengers who were struggling with the trolleys. Many of the trolleys are not userfriendly, the hump complicates the problem”, he said.

People find it difficult because international passengers often bring several pieces of bags unlike domestic travellers.

The earlier exit, which also joins the road, did not have a hump as vehicles do not pass by that stretch.

Bala Kumaran, an airport taxi driver, said, “I have seen people drop their luggage and some trolleys topple. Many old people find it very difficult. Many of them do not pay attention when they walk out of the building as they do not expect a hindrance. The authorities should have removed the hump when they opened the exit.”

A senior official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said, “The exit was opened as a temporary arrangement to route the passengers out of the building as the original entry had to be blocked for construction work. The hump is installed because the pathway leads to a road where vehicle movement is there. We don’t want the passengers to come in the way of the speeding vehicles. That will lead to accidents. The original entry will be restored soon.” The opening of the walkalator will also reduce the inconvenience of the passengers.

AAI has completed the work of the walkalator that connects metro rail station to the international terminal.

The entire length of walkalator tube will be opened on April 14.

BUMP AHEAD: A hump at the exit makes it difficult for travellers to manoeuvre baggage-laden trolleys and wheelchairs