KOLKATA: Cleanliness at the city airport has seen a sharp, visible turnaround over the past fortnight, with washrooms at the terminal’s departure level no longer marked by the stink and stains that had become routine complaints.
Passengers travelling through Kolkata airport have experienced the change and it has found reflection in flyers’ comments on social media where complaints about the cleanliness in toilets and elsewhere in the terminal has dropped dramatically.
The change has followed the termination of nine contractual housekeeping staff accused of barely working and driving a poor work culture.
Rakshak Securitas, the agency responsible for housekeeping in the departure area where passengers spend an average of 1.5 hours, said the improvement came after a clear message from the new state govt to the airport operator that there would be no political interference in airport management and operations.
“We were able to act due to support from airport officials, the airport director, in particular. It was possible because the new state govt had sent an unambiguous message that there would be no political interference in the management and functioning of the airport. Following this, we sacked nine trouble-makers. Thereafter, everything fell into place,” said GM Vinit Kumar.
With disciplinary action no longer blocked by calls and interventions, supervision tightened immediately. Staff attendance and shift discipline improved, with eight-hour shifts being followed instead of workers leaving after three to four hours. The long-delayed biometric system, earlier opposed through disruptions, is now being enforced without obstruction.
The impact is being seen on the ground: floors are cleaner, passenger complaints have dropped sharply, and washrooms are being maintained more consistently despite heavy daily usage. The company said the turnaround did not require new manpower, chemicals or equipment — only proper deployment and accountability. Ten cleaning machines are already available, including floor sweepers, granite polishing machines and handheld toilet cleaners. They are now being used effectively rather than perfunctorily.
Support from AAI has continued, and the assurance of no political interference has enabled routine management decisions—reassignment, discipline and uniform compliance—to be implemented without fear of pushback. The result, officials say, is a functioning chain of responsibility where housekeeping staff follow training in practice, supervisors can enforce standards, and passengers can finally see and smell the difference.
“When we took up the job, we intended to make a difference. But our attempts were time and again frustrated. We have around 250 employees and 4-5 supervisors. But we were unable to function due to a few employees who were a bad influence on others. The biggest threat to an employer is when the employee who you pay does not listen to you or does not work. That is what we had encountered here. That has finally changed. Now, we are finally able to perform the way we wanted to,” said Kumar.
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eid 2026Subhro Niyogi is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India,...
Read MoreSubhro Niyogi is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, and his job responsibilities include reporting, editing and coordination of news and news features. His hobbies include photography, driving and reading.
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