A prepaid auto-rickshaw service will start at Terminals 1 and 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from June 1, 2025. Senior Shinde Sena leader and former MP Gajanan Kirtikar held a meeting with state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik at Mantralaya to finalize the decision.
With many international and domestic airlines operating from these terminals, the number of passengers is increasing daily. Currently, only a prepaid taxi service is available at these terminals. Taxi drivers often wait for long hours, and when they get short-distance fares to areas like Vile Parle, Andheri, and Santacruz, they suffer financial losses.
Many passengers prefer rickshaws for short distances, leading to unauthorized rickshaw drivers operating outside the airport and overcharging passengers. Kirtikar had been consistently following up with the Regional Transport Office, Adani Airport, and Mumbai International Airport Authority officials to introduce prepaid auto-rickshaw services, similar to prepaid taxis. He alleged that despite positive reports from all departments, the airport authority was delaying the implementation.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik chaired a meeting with all concerned officials at Mantralaya, where after detailed discussions, he assured that the prepaid auto-rickshaw service would commence on June 1, 2025. The local social organization ‘Happy to Help’ has volunteered to manage the service.