Mumbai: A separate drop-off point good five minutes’ walk from domestic departure terminal 1B for those arriving at the Mumbai airport by autos has angered passengers, who have called the new arrangement elitist and demanded that it be done away with forthwith.
What has fanned the passenger discontent further is the absence of trolleys and guards at the auto drop-off. While those arriving in cars and taxis get off right at the departure gates and have rows of trolleys available to carry their luggage, passengers who arrive in autos have to lug their bags all the way.
The auto drop-off point, introduced by the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the airport’s private operator, on February 27 is located next to the BEST bus-stop behind Balaji restaurant. It can be a torturous walk to the terminal from there in the harsh Mumbai heat if you are carrying more than one bag. Also, there are no wheel-chairs available for the aged and the disabled at the drop-off point.
05/03/13 Aditya Anand/Pune Mirror
