In a significant move to address passenger grievances, the Karnataka government has directed the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) to revise its recently implemented parking and pick-up regulations at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The directive, issued on Friday, mandates that private vehicles be permitted to approach the arrival gates to collect passengers, thereby reducing the long walking distances that had sparked widespread complaints.
Government Intervention Follows Public Outcry
The decision came after Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh conducted a site visit on Friday, assessing the situation firsthand following numerous complaints from both travellers and taxi operators. While the government acknowledged BIAL's rationale for the new system—which aimed to curb artificial congestion—it intervened on specific pain points causing public inconvenience.
An official stated that BIAL has been given one week to implement the necessary modifications to ease passenger troubles. Shalini Rajneesh confirmed the resolution, stating, "The state government is satisfied with the resolution of BIAL and has agreed to certain modifications based on our mutual discussions." She emphasized the key change: "Specifically, while agreeing to have passengers' private vehicles parked in P4, the vehicles should come to the arrival gates and passengers should not be walking all the way to the parking lot."
Addressing Taxi and Bus Bay Concerns
The government's intervention also tackled issues raised by commercial transport operators. The chief secretary addressed concerns of yellow-board taxi drivers, noting that discussions were held to simplify the registration process with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC). "I have spoken to both BIAL and the KSTDC managing director to bring parity for all service providers," she said.
Furthermore, the government has instructed KSTDC to make operational the help desk at Terminal 1, which was non-functional due to renovations. However, one contentious issue remains partially unresolved: the reduction of bus bays, especially those for BMTC's Vayu Vajra services. This matter had earlier drawn sharp criticism from Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy.
On the bus bay front, Shalini Rajneesh indicated that discussions are ongoing. "We have connected the BMTC MD with the BIAL CEO. It will be resolved soon," she assured. The chief secretary's intervention followed the transport minister's strong remarks and his own inspection of Terminal 1 on Wednesday, where he noted the encroachment on bus bays and pressured airport authorities to review the changes.
BIAL's Original Stance and Congestion Concerns
BIAL had initially defended its decision to restrict vehicles from the arrival gates, arguing it was necessary to manage traffic flow. The airport operator claimed that nearly 100 cars were entering the arrival area simultaneously, taking up to 10 minutes to clear after picking up passengers, creating what it termed "artificial congestion." The new government-directed modifications aim to strike a balance between operational efficiency and passenger convenience, ensuring smoother airport access for all.
