Chennai: The new domestic terminal at Chennai airport has created new problems for those travelling by suburban trains. They not only have to walk a long distance with their luggage after alighting from the train, but also have to climb a flight of stairs to reach the first floor departure area of the new terminal because trains and buses have not been linked seamlessly to the terminals.
This problem is likely to persist for a year because Airports Authority of India (AAI) did not schedule the completion of a walkalator in front of the terminals and metro rail's airport station in tandem with opening of the terminals. These two facilities are essential for people who use public transport - trains and buses - to get to the airport.
International passengers will face similar trouble later this month when AAI plans to open the international terminal. There is no walkalator connecting the domestic and the international terminals outside the building. People have to wait for four-seater battery-operated cars to ferry them between terminals.
06/05/13 V Ayyappan/Times of India
