With multiple flights landing round the clock and thousands of passengers heading to book taxis, the arrival gates at both terminals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) often descend into chaos. The main reason, flyers say, is the disorganised state of the app-based taxi pick-up zones — especially at Terminal 1.
Cabs near the airport pick-up zone at Terminal 1 of Mumbai airport. Pics/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
With multiple flights landing round the clock and thousands of passengers heading to book taxis, the arrival gates at both terminals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) often descend into chaos. The main reason, flyers say, is the disorganised state of the app-based taxi pick-up zones — especially at Terminal 1.
“There are no dedicated lanes for different app-based cab operators as in other major airports. Even if your taxi driver has entered the parking area, they can’t reach the front because of other vehicles halting there,” said Biswajit Das, a frequent flyer.
Passengers struggle to find cabs outside the terminal
While Terminal 2 does have a designated zone for ride-hailing services, passengers complain that even this structured system lacks real efficiency. “Every time I walk to the pick-up zone after landing, I mentally prepare myself to face the mess. It’s supposed to be organised, but in reality, it’s pure chaos,” said a flyer from Delhi.
Many passengers are now opting for pre-paid taxis despite their higher fares, simply to avoid the exhausting wait and confusion. “In Hyderabad, we have a pin-based system — you stand in a queue, give your six-digit code, and get the cab. But here at T1, I’ve had to wait 30 to 40 minutes just for the taxi to reach the pick-up zone. This time, I went with a pre-paid cab to save time,” a traveller from Hyderabad told mid-day.
The wait time for app-based cabs ranges from five to 40 minutes, with long queues, honking, and frayed tempers being a daily sight. “After 25 years, I came back to Terminal 1 and honestly, it’s still better than the T2 pick-up zone. There, I’ve waited over 20 minutes despite the system in place. Angry drivers and poor management make things worse. Authorities need to fix this before T1 shuts for renovation and all traffic moves to T2,” said Prasad Kartikeyan, a Mumbai resident.
A serpentine queue of passengers waiting for app-based taxis at T1
Drivers, too, have been impacted. “I’ve stopped accepting airport pickups. Entering the parking lot is a nightmare, and the behaviour of other drivers makes it worse. The system needs an overhaul — just like the kaali peeli taxi system, which has run smoothly for decades,” said a Rapido driver. A Central Industrial Security Force officer on duty said, “We do our best to manage the traffic. We even stop vehicle entry when the parking fills up. But unless a better system is implemented, these daily conflicts will continue.”
Banrilang Syiemlieh, who handles counter bookings for Rapido at T1, echoed flyers’ concerns. “T1 has only one pick-up point. Due to space constraints, we get a lot of complaints. A better-designed system would help manage both the crowd and the drivers.”
Recently, the Sahar police arrested three men involved in a fight with a Krystal staffer at the T2 pick-up zone. Krystal employees told mid-day that such scuffles are common. “Drivers get bookings while stuck at the back of the queue, but still have to wait for those ahead. We try to manage both the drivers and tired travellers, but fights break out frequently,” said Pradeep Pathak, a Krystal employee.
While the police usually act as backup at the airport, DCP Maneesh Kalwaniya of Zone VIII said, “The T2 incident was an isolated case. We always have officers stationed at the airport as a secondary line of intervention, stepping in when airport staff can’t defuse a situation. Our job is to ensure no one is harmed.”
With Terminal 1 set to shut soon for renovation, flyers are anxious about the impact on Terminal 2. Urban designer Vivek Pai said, “The parking zones must be redesigned based on demand. Ride-hailing services need more space now than private cars. If the airport authority redesigns it equitably, it will greatly improve the passenger experience.” Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd did not respond to queries sent by mid-day.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
