70-year-old Parvadarajan at the Chennai airport.
The contrast was stark and shocking. There was Parvadarajan, a 70-year-old wheel chair bound passenger from Hyderabad who had just landed at Chennai airport. His son who had arranged a car to pick them up was stopped by the police from driving to the arrival area. Even after he explained that his father was wheelchair bound, they refused to relent.
There was no such restriction for a fleet of VIP vehicles parked on the same stretch. One belonged to state transport minister Senthil Balaji. The airport police had also allowed another car with a few politicians flaunting the ruling AIDMK's flag to receive the Minister on his arrival. Mr Balaji chose to not speak about this VIP treatment.
Left to fend for themselves, Mr Parvadarajan's aged wife and son had moved his wheelchair to the parking lot with much difficulty, after negotiating an uphill ramp. Mr Parvadarajan says, "Not only me, but the person who pushes my wheel chair and my whole family suffers".
Mr Parvadarajan's son moving his wheelchair on the uphill ramp
Three other cars were parked in the VIP stretch. They were for a judge, bureaucrats and police officers. Police also allowed the car of Magilanban, a politician from the ruling AIADMK who was returning to Chennai after a private trip. His defence was: "The Civil Aviation Department has some rules, we follow that. I don't know about vehicles of disabled passengers not being allowed. I'm not given any special status. I agree all should be treated equally".
That is sadly not the case. One senior citizen said, "The Chennai airport arrival area has become the preserve of VIPs. They just turn a blind eye towards us".
Regular air travelers say it's worse during the monsoon when VIP cars are allowed to drive up to the airport exit gate. All others, including the disabled and the elderly, have to brave the rain to get the parking lot.
Airport authorities refused to speak on camera but one officer claimed the airport was disabled friendly. There was no evidence of that on ground.