Renowned chef Vikas Khanna has brought attention to a long-standing issue troubling Mumbaikars and frequent flyers: the worn-out and dusty carpets at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. On Friday, he highlighted the matter on social media.
Traveling from New York to Mumbai for the promotions of MasterChef India, Vikas shared a photo of the airport carpet, calling it a potential health risk for passengers. “Though I love and respect the efficiency of Mumbai airport, having this carpet is absolutely unnecessary and unacceptable. It is beyond cleaning now. On behalf of every asthmatic and people with bronchitis issues, I request the authorities to please look into removing this at the airports. It can lead to serious breathing issues and even be fatal,” he wrote.
Many users in the comments agreed with his concerns. Responding to Vikas’ post, the airport authorities stated: “Dear Mr Khanna, thank you for your kind words regarding the efficiency of the airport. We are truly humbled by your appreciation. At the same time, we have taken careful note of your concern regarding the condition of the carpet. Please be assured that this has been shared with the relevant teams, and appropriate corrective measures, including thorough cleaning and necessary action, will be undertaken on priority, keeping passenger health and comfort in mind. – Team CSMIA”