Chennai airport has begun placing markers on the floor so that passengers could maintain physical distance when flight operations resume.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said the markers had been placed with a distance of a little over one metre in front of the check-in counters. “We measured the distance along with a trolley and then began sticking these markers. The process has just started and it will take sometime. We haven’t received any information about when the flight operations will resume but we have to be ready in any case and hence we are doing some preparatory work,” an official said.
Meanwhile, they have finalised the design for covering the check-in counters. “These check-in counters will be covered with a glass with a small opening. These will be done for all the counters once the industries open so that we can place orders,” he added. Similarly, the seating arrangement in the security hold area too will be arranged in such a way as to maintain physical distancing.
The AAI had said that post-lockdown only 30% flights would be operated. Though there are talks that only one terminal may be used when the operations resume, officials say it is not clear if this may be applicable for Chennai. “There will be more clarity only in the coming weeks,” an official said. Officials here said that they would continue to carry out fumigation of terminals.