A senior citizen couple waited for two hours outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s Terminal 2 after autorickshaw drivers allegedly bypassed the queue, selected passengers travelling to preferred destinations and demanded fixed fares, renewing concerns about enforcement at Mumbai’s transport hubs.
The couple, who had arrived in Mumbai from Goa on Wednesday, reached the T2 autorickshaw stand at around 5pm and sought a ride to Kalina. According to the woman, they were able to leave only at about 7pm after she protested about the delay.
She said the stand had two lanes, with passengers waiting in one while several autorickshaws used the outer lane to pick up people travelling towards locations such as Vasai and Andheri. She also alleged that staff at the stand asked passengers about their destinations and that commuters heading to shorter-distance locations were ignored.
“Several autos used the outer lane to pick those travelling to preferred destinations,” the woman said. She added that some drivers demanded higher fares, while others appeared to prefer longer trips. Passengers travelling to Marol were allegedly quoted fixed fares of about Rs 250.
The incident has highlighted complaints about refusal of service, preferential selection of passengers and overcharging at the airport stand. Sources said security personnel are frequently required to intervene, prevent touting, move drivers operating outside the queue system and keep traffic moving in the pickup area.
Regional Transport Office officials said autorickshaw drivers holding Public Service Vehicle Authorisation badges are legally required to accept passengers. They may refuse a trip only when there is a valid reason, according to the officials. The statement places responsibility on enforcement agencies to ensure that the rule is followed at a high-volume transport interchange.
Implementation remains difficult during peak hours, when large passenger flows and limited curbside space can make it harder to monitor individual refusals and fare demands. Sources called for a stronger police presence at the T2 stand to curb violations and restore the queue system.
The complaints are not limited to the airport. Activist Godfrey Pimenta of Watchdog Foundation has repeatedly raised concerns about refusals, long waits and inflated fares near airports, railway stations, Metro stations and other transport hubs across Mumbai. The latest incident has put the focus back on how city authorities manage the last-mile connection between major public transport facilities and passengers who depend on metered autorickshaws.
RTO officials’ position is that authorised drivers must accept passengers except for valid reasons, while sources have sought stronger monitoring and police deployment at the airport stand. The next enforcement steps at Terminal 2, including action during peak passenger hours, remain the immediate point of attention.
