Minister raps BIAL over Bengaluru airport’s pick-up, parking regulations

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday came down heavily on the Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) following widespread criticism from cab drivers and passengers over the recently introduced parking and pick-up regulations at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

Mr. Reddy visited Terminal 1 of the airport to personally assess the impact of the new regulations after several complaints suggested that the revised system had made access more difficult for passengers, particularly those dependent on taxis. During the inspection, the Minister noticed that a portion of the bus bays earmarked for Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) Vayu Vajra airport buses had been taken over, triggering sharp criticism from him.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Reddy said the changes had only added to commuter inconvenience. “In the backdrop of the recent parking and pick-up regulations and complaints by passengers, I personally visited the airport and found that these regulations have created more problems for passengers as well as cab drivers,” he said.

He added that he reviewed the distance passengers were required to walk to reach the designated taxi pick-up points and the overall transport arrangements, and concluded that the new system would disproportionately affect women, children, and the elderly.

To better understand the ground reality, the Minister travelled in a bus within the airport premises to observe the challenges faced by passengers. He expressed strong displeasure over the reduction of BMTC bus bays along with taxi bays, alleging that public transport facilities were being pushed farther away to favour private operators.

Mr. Reddy directed airport officials to immediately restore the BMTC bus bays to ensure smooth operations. “Earlier, 14 bays were allotted to BMTC buses. Now, only seven have been provided. This is not right,” he said, instructing BIAL to reinstate all the previously dedicated bays without delay. He also instructed that taxi drivers be allowed to access the pick-up points as before and asked officials to roll back the new pick-up regulations.

The Minister further said he would raise the issue with Shalini Rajneesh, the Chief Secretary of Karnataka, who also serves as the Chairperson of BIAL, to ensure that the matter is resolved promptly.

Meanwhile, a BIAL spokesperson maintained that the airport operator had not taken away any BMTC bus bays. The official said, “The main bus bay has been shifted to Terminal 2 at the multi-level parking facility, where a larger bus bay has been provided, and that the space at Terminal 1 currently functions only as a BMTC and KSRTC bus pick-up point”.

However, BIAL did not officially comment on the Minister’s inspection or the directions issued during his visit.