Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 3: Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will reinstate entry and overstaying fees for vehicles at its arrival pick-up zones from December 8, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) announced.
Under the updated system, all private vehicles with white number plates will receive eight minutes of free access in the designated arrival pick-up lanes at Terminals 1 and 2. After this, charges of Rs 150 for 8–13 minutes and Rs 300 for 13–18 minutes will apply. Vehicles exceeding an 18-minute halt will be towed to the nearest police station, where fines and towing fees will be levied, BIAL said.
Commercial vehicles — including yellow-board taxis, EV cabs and self-drive rentals with commercial plates — must operate only from designated parking zones. They will receive 10 minutes of free parking. Commercial operators serving Terminal 1 are required to use the P4 and P3 zones, while those serving Terminal 2 must proceed to P2.
BIAL clarified that the charges will not apply to vehicles dropping passengers at the departure gates.
Private vehicles will continue to be classified as white-board vehicles, while all yellow-board and EV commercial vehicles remain under the commercial category.
The operator noted that recent months have seen a rise in unauthorised halts, roadside pick-ups and vehicles loitering near arrival kerbs and exit ramps. With around 1 lac vehicles moving through the airport’s road network daily, BIAL said this had placed “significant” pressure on landside capacity, particularly the kerbside areas.
“Prolonged waiting by private cars and cabs creates artificial congestion, hindering traffic flow and inconveniencing passengers and drivers,” BIAL stated. The new lane segregation system aims to enforce discipline, curb unauthorised parking and reduce dwell times, thereby improving the passenger experience.
Hari Marar, MD and CEO of BIAL, said rising passenger numbers — averaging 1.3 lac per day — make stricter management essential. “With passenger traffic continuing to rise, especially during the travel season, it becomes essential to maintain discipline at pick-up zones, not as enforcement, but as a way to protect travellers, ensure orderly movement and strengthen trust in the system,” he said.
Travellers and cab operators have been urged to use only authorised pick-up points and approved aggregators, including Airport Taxi, Uber, Ola, Quick Ride, OHM electric cabs and WTI cabs. Any unauthorised halting, lane blocking or overstaying will attract penalties for both drivers and operators.
BIAL had introduced a similar “stay and overstay” system in May 2024 but suspended it following strong protests from cab drivers, who described the charges as “daylight robbery”. Passengers had also expressed concern that the fees would make airport travel more expensive. The earlier system provided seven minutes of free access for private cars, followed by charges of Rs 150 for 7–14 minutes, while commercial vehicles paid Rs 150 for the first seven minutes and Rs 300 for 7–14 minutes.
A BIAL spokesperson said the revised plan offers a longer free-usage window and added that “sufficient” time is being provided for the public to prepare for the transition.