At airport this yr: Washrooms close to arrival points for flyers
Times of India | 18 March 2025
Kolkata: Flyers landing in Kolkata will almost immediately be able to access washrooms instead of having to walk the entire length of the mezzanine level, take either the escalator or the stairs to the ground level, and then walk the width of the arrival lounge past the baggage belts to use them. The airport operator is constructing four new restrooms at the mezzanine level, which will especially help flyers requiring urgent use.
Kolkata airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria said the new washrooms were being built to meet a long-standing demand of flyers. "The new toilets are likely to be operational in five to six months, following which incoming passengers will have access to washrooms immediately after landing," he said.
Among airports in metros, the Kolkata facility has the shortest distance to the baggage belt from the alighting point. But in a layout flaw, the washrooms were built at the end of the arrival lounge, necessitating a long walk to locate them. This was now being corrected by constructing four sets of restrooms at the mezzanine level, which connected the 18 aerobridges, said an official. Each set will have a toilet for women, one for men and one for people with disabilities.
With the crew on flights restricting access to restrooms almost 20 minutes prior to touchdown, washrooms situated immediately after arrival are the busiest at airports. "The walk to the nearest washroom next to the conveyor belt on the ground floor from the aerobridge that drops passengers on the upper level is anything but easy. Navigating through the airport with luggage in tow and family members following makes the 400-metre walk feel like endless. It's reassuring to know airport authorities have finally taken steps to address this concern," said Soumya Mukherjee, a management professional who frequently travels from Kolkata to different cities across India.
Airline representatives also appreciated the upgrade. "Passengers who are aware of the long walk often insist on using the washroom immediately before the descent. This makes our job difficult. Further, the upgrade will be extremely helpful to our crew as well," said a domestic airline official.
The airport is already addressing the stink and stain issue in restrooms by completely revamping the toilets, which are practically being demolished to make way for new ones with new tiles on the floor and walls, new sanitary ware and fixtures. "Among the 28 pairs of restrooms in the terminal building, four have been revamped. By March, six more will be ready. The remaining 18 will be done by Nov," said Beuria, adding efforts were on to improve their regular maintenance by training the staff and encouraging them to maintain better hygiene.