Retail kiosks at IGI airport a recipe for disaster: Parliamentary panel

The mushrooming and protruding retail kiosks at Terminals 1 and 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here are a recipe for disaster as they greatly hamper passenger movement, says the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

PAC Chairman K.V. Thomas on Tuesday told reporters that the Committee visited the airport last month and "found that the operators have not allocated space inside terminal buildings at Terminal 1 and 3 scientifically".

The panel observed that retail shops have "cropped up at every nook and corner" and some of them "are protruding sharply into the walking spaces".

"Commercial establishments are obtruding into the areas meant for passenger movement and thus safety of passengers has been compromised while allotting spaces inside the terminal premises," Thomas said.

"Members of the Committee felt that mishap or disaster could be foreseen given the present state of narrow lanes for movement of passengers," he added.

He said that the Air Passengers Association of India has raised grievances regarding the poor state of facilities at the IGI Airport which include restriction in safe movement of passengers, dirty lounges and restrooms, ill-managed food courts and poor quality food and inadequate seating facilities, among others.

"We were told that although feedback forms are available, no action is taken on these suggestions or complaints," Thomas said.

The PAC also visited the New Delhi and Old Delhi railway stations, Mumbai International Airport, CST railway station Mumbai, Cochin shipyard and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata.

Thomas said that at New Delhi and Old Delhi railway stations, the issues of lack of passenger amenities, hygiene and punctuality were raised.

At Cochin Shipyard, the Committee was told that the government was not placing any orders for ships.

--IANS

mak/vd