It is almost two weeks since the Chandigarh’s new Airport Terminal was completed. It has come as a great relief for the commuters as they had to walk quite a bit while departing or arriving to the Chandigarh Airport during the construction. Though almost all the airlines operators have shifted to the new building, there is a lot remaining.
No doubt, the new Chandigarh Terminal has great space and facilities, a lot of it is still not functional. You would find a Cafeteria for the waiting passengers and comfortable seaats near the departure and arrival gates. One thing you can’t ignore is that the new terminal is still crowded with workers and building equipments and material is still lying around. The washrooms near the arrival gate is still under construction and the security set up is still not complete.
The new Chandigarh Terminal still doesn’t have the machines to scan cargo. However, new facilities like a ticket counter, tour and travel agency and taxi counter are operational in the new building. The CISF has also deployed extra troops in the premises.
My visit to the airport on Friday April 22, 2011, gave me a shock of my life. I wasn’t frisked while entering the airport. I had gone to pick my relatives. Just like the old airport, the visitors need to pay Rs 30 and get a slip to enter the building after showing an ID. When I entered the Chandigarh Terminal, the policeman just had a look at the slip and did not check me. How surprising is that?
The thing that amuses me is that the passengers still walk under the open sky while boarding or de-boarding the flight and the check-in luggage is still carried in the open Tractor-Trolleys. The standard of a modern day city still seems to be far off.
Thanks to – Times of India
Hey it doesn’t matter what its like! As long as there’s a international Airport soon then it’d be fine for all foreign Desi people…china’s Beijing airport is open-sky as well.. they take people off planes then on to buses then the airport!! When is the International flights starting?
It does matter. It is not a small city getting developed but a major city which should have got a high class airport much earlier. Beijing airport has buses, even Mumbai has it on the domestic airports. At Chandigarh Airport they make you walk.
Mohit,
Excellent,you are absolutely correct that Chandigarh is not a small city project in Timbaktu. I am amazed the person who writes about Bejing city has perhaps has no idea that Bejing has a world class Airport with a immaculately planned facilities and elaborate net work of underground transportation from terminals . Keep writing !
It does not matter if it is a temporary arrangement to start with the international flights. But if it is going to be permanent feature then not acceptable. When we move to a new home it takes time to make the drive ways and put the sodding etc., but we happily bear with. The important thing still remains as to when the International flights are gonna start.
You are right Balraj but I would say these are small things which really should be taken care of which do not require much time. We are still clueless when the International flights from Chandigarh will initiate.
The people of Chandigarh and Mohali need to contact their city/state MLAs and get this airport done ASAP. Look how quickly they finished the new Delhi airport and made it world class. It has been too too long. Punjab continues to suffer. We need first class infrastructure projects not third class. Too many Punjabis have to suffer the tedious trip from DELHI…………..
I wish things were that easy. The Delhi Airport was finished quickly to accommodate the high volume of visitors during the Commonwealth Games. Punjab is suffering due to a lot of other reasons. The current Government’s ignorance is not hidden from anyone. Thankfully, Chandigarh is still a UT and things are far better than Punjab. Hopefully the work at Chandigarh’s Airport will be complete soon and it gets the International status.