Uni-directional traffic flow facility at Mangaluru airport

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) announced on Saturday that the uni-directional traffic flow is now enabled at departures. This decision followed the MIA's newly constructed arrival facility on the lower ground floor.

The uni-directional traffic flow arrangement was announced in a bid to create seamless movement of traffic for both arrivals (lower ground floor) and departures (ground floor) on different levels.

Under this new arrangement, all vehicles coming to drop departing passengers, shall exit via the ramp after dropping them either at the designated drop off zone 1 or 2. Post leaving the ramp that leads to the lower ground floor, the vehicles may then exit either to the city or towards the parking lot. Hitherto, the airport had just one designated drop zone just prior to the departure gate from where the vehicles returned.

A zebra crossing near the departure gate facilitates departing passengers and their kin, who come up from parking into the terminal via the escalator/lift on the lower ground floor. Traffic marshals with LED batons have been positioned to ensure their safe entry into and exit from the terminal. The marshals will regulate the flow of traffic at this point by alternatively allowing vehicles and passengers negotiate this area.

Crash barriers have been placed along this unidirectional flow to ensure that vehicles exit the ground floor and negotiate the ramp in doing so. The drop off zone 2 has been set up near the erstwhile arrival gate. Vehicles will be directed to drop passengers here in case they are not able to do so at drop off zone 1. With the addition of drop off zone 2, MIA has enhanced the drop off area for the passengers.

A separate trolley staging area has also been arranged near drop off zone 2 to facilitate passenger and this complements a similar arrangement at the current drop off. The unidirectional traffic flow will enable seamless movement of vehicles on both lower ground and ground floors which only enhances the overall passenger experience.