New pickup rules at Bengaluru's Kempegowda Airport ease chaos, but long walks irk passengers

Bengaluru: It has been a week since the new pickup rules kicked in at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), and passengers remain divided about their effectiveness.

The new norms, which only allow private vehicles to access the arrival pick-up lanes and limit yellow-board vehicles to designated taxi stands and pickup zones, were enforced at Terminal 2 on December 11 and at Terminal 2 on December 13. While operations in T2 continue to flow in a seemingly smooth manner, the change in operations at T1 has raised some eyebrows due to the designated parking zones being about 700 metres away from the arrival gates.

In an attempt to smooth the transition into the new operations and accommodate the festive rush, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates KIA, has implemented multiple transport options to aid senior citizens, children, and the differently abled. The free transport arrangements between T1 and P3 and P4, which are the dedicated parking zones for the terminal, include four buggies, one shuttle bus, one high-capacity passenger van, and three cars. These are in addition to wheelchair support, a BIAL representative shared.

Apart from these, the shuttle buses which operate between T1 and T2 also make a pit stop at P3 and P4. However, the lack of awareness among passengers about these transport options is leaving an air of frustration across the terminal.

For Kushi, travelling from Mumbai, the accessible pickup feature used to be one of the main highlights of the terminal. “It used to be so convenient to just step out and find a taxi driver waiting for you already,” she said.

Better training of the on-ground staff would help benefit the initiative, according to passengers.

“Some of the ground staff themselves do not seem to fully comprehend how the changes work. I spent about 20 minutes waiting for a buggy, as instructed by the staff. But in the end, my mother and I just started walking. We eventually found an empty buggy along the way,” said Narayan, from Electronics City. Irrespective of the 15–20 minute walk to the parking zone, many hail the new way of operations for its improved safety and decongested lanes.

“It felt like a breath of fresh air walking out of Terminal 1 after the new rules, which no longer allow taxis to crowd the arrival lanes. It was absolute chaos before, with taxi drivers leaving no space for other vehicles. Plus, they always behaved in an uncouth manner,” said a middle-aged female passenger.