Chennai Airport Opens Rs 22.88-Crore Pickup Plaza
New facility at Terminal 1 to ease cab congestion; airport expands passenger assistance and services
By : Deccan Chronicle
Update: 2026-09-14 10:37 GMT
The Chennai airport on Sunday commissioned the Rs 22.88-crore pickup point plaza at Terminal 1 to streamline cab operations and ease congestion in front of the terminal, planning to add more passenger assistance staff and introduce modern baggage trolleys.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the facility through video conference from New Delhi. The plaza, located about 30 metres from Terminal 1, has been designed to regulate vehicles arriving to pick up passengers and reduce traffic congestion at the terminal frontage.
The facility is expected to particularly benefit elderly passengers, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and those travelling with children, Chennai airport director Raja Kishore said.
Until now, passengers arriving at Terminal 1 and opting for app-based cabs had to travel nearly 600 metres to the multi-level car park and use lifts to reach the relevant floors. The new facility brings the pickup point much closer to the terminal.
The plaza can handle around 5,000 app-based cab pickups a day, according to the airport authorities.
More than 50 per cent of passengers arriving at Terminal 1 use app-based cabs, making efficient management of these vehicles a major requirement, Mr Kishore said.
The airport is also expanding its passenger assistance network. A contract has been awarded for deploying 105 passenger guidance personnel, who will assist travellers and provide information across the airport.
Another 20 “May I Help You” personnel have been deployed at key locations to provide direct assistance to passengers. Illuminated directional signboards have also been installed from Terminal 4 to the western section of the multi-level car park to improve passenger navigation.
The 15 battery-operated vehicles currently ferrying passengers between terminals and the multi-level car parks will continue to operate despite the opening of the new pickup plaza, the authorities said.
The airport is also working on introducing modern baggage trolleys in the post-security area. The new trolleys are intended to make it easier for passengers to move with their luggage and reduce the time taken to reach boarding areas.
DigiYatra adoption at the Chennai airport has increased sharply, with the share of passengers using the facility rising from around 12 per cent 15 months ago to an average of 35 per cent currently.
As many as 124 DigiYatra personnel, operating round the clock under the name “Digi Buddies”, are assisting passengers with registration and the use of the facility.
The airport has also strengthened emergency medical preparedness by installing 13 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) across its terminals. The devices are intended to provide immediate assistance during cardiac and other medical emergencies.
In his speech, Naidu said airports served as the first and last point of contact for people travelling to and from a city, making smooth vehicular movement and passenger-friendly infrastructure essential.
He said the pickup plaza was part of efforts to make Chennai airport more efficient, accessible and prepared for future passenger growth.
Meanwhile, construction of the new Terminal 3 under the airport's Phase II expansion is progressing rapidly. The work in some sections are already around 90 per cent complete. The airport plans to complete construction of Terminal 3 by April next year, Kishore said.
Senior officials, including the Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary and Airports Authority of India chairman, had recently inspected the Phase II works and directed officials to accelerate construction, Kishore added.
On the passenger experience at the new pickup plaza, he said the facility had not been air-conditioned as it was located in an open area. Instead, additional fans had been installed to improve air circulation. Passengers are expected to spend only around 10–15 minutes at the facility, he said.
On the proposed second airport for Chennai, Mr Kishore said there was currently no information on an alternative site following the cancellation of the Parandur airport project.
“There is no information yet on where the new airport will be established instead,” he said.
The new pickup plaza, officials said, is aimed at separating passenger pickup traffic from the congested terminal frontage and creating a smoother flow of vehicles and passengers at Terminal
The facility is expected to particularly benefit elderly passengers, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and those travelling with children, Chennai airport director Raja Kishore said.
Until now, passengers arriving at Terminal 1 and opting for app-based cabs had to travel nearly 600 metres to the multi-level car park and use lifts to reach the relevant floors. The new facility brings the pickup point much closer to the terminal.
The plaza can handle around 5,000 app-based cab pickups a day, according to the airport authorities.
More than 50 per cent of passengers arriving at Terminal 1 use app-based cabs, making efficient management of these vehicles a major requirement, Mr Kishore said.
The airport is also expanding its passenger assistance network. A contract has been awarded for deploying 105 passenger guidance personnel, who will assist travellers and provide information across the airport.
Another 20 “May I Help You” personnel have been deployed at key locations to provide direct assistance to passengers. Illuminated directional signboards have also been installed from Terminal 4 to the western section of the multi-level car park to improve passenger navigation.
The 15 battery-operated vehicles currently ferrying passengers between terminals and the multi-level car parks will continue to operate despite the opening of the new pickup plaza, the authorities said.
The airport is also working on introducing modern baggage trolleys in the post-security area. The new trolleys are intended to make it easier for passengers to move with their luggage and reduce the time taken to reach boarding areas.
DigiYatra adoption at the Chennai airport has increased sharply, with the share of passengers using the facility rising from around 12 per cent 15 months ago to an average of 35 per cent currently.
As many as 124 DigiYatra personnel, operating round the clock under the name “Digi Buddies”, are assisting passengers with registration and the use of the facility.
The airport has also strengthened emergency medical preparedness by installing 13 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) across its terminals. The devices are intended to provide immediate assistance during cardiac and other medical emergencies.
In his speech, Naidu said airports served as the first and last point of contact for people travelling to and from a city, making smooth vehicular movement and passenger-friendly infrastructure essential.
He said the pickup plaza was part of efforts to make Chennai airport more efficient, accessible and prepared for future passenger growth.
Meanwhile, construction of the new Terminal 3 under the airport's Phase II expansion is progressing rapidly. The work in some sections are already around 90 per cent complete. The airport plans to complete construction of Terminal 3 by April next year, Kishore said.
Senior officials, including the Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary and Airports Authority of India chairman, had recently inspected the Phase II works and directed officials to accelerate construction, Kishore added.
On the passenger experience at the new pickup plaza, he said the facility had not been air-conditioned as it was located in an open area. Instead, additional fans had been installed to improve air circulation. Passengers are expected to spend only around 10–15 minutes at the facility, he said.
On the proposed second airport for Chennai, Mr Kishore said there was currently no information on an alternative site following the cancellation of the Parandur airport project.
“There is no information yet on where the new airport will be established instead,” he said.
The new pickup plaza, officials said, is aimed at separating passenger pickup traffic from the congested terminal frontage and creating a smoother flow of vehicles and passengers at Terminal