BENGALURU: In the approximately two weeks since the new rules concerning pickup and parking were rolled out at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), in the light of mixed responses from the public – which often accompanies change of any kind, anywhere – the airport authorities have been fine-tuning the rules, tweaking them in the context of passenger feedback. Besides reducing congestion in the pickup areas of the two terminals, according to airport authorities, the safety of female passengers has significantly increased.
To recap, under the new parking rules, “The airport will give 8 minutes (much higher than international standards) of free use of the zone for all the users beyond which there will be Rs 150 charged for overstay from 8-13 minutes and Rs 300 charged for 13-18 minutes,” as per a statement from Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL). This regulation was later made a bit lax, given public pushback, with the authorities extending the free parking duration at Terminal 1 arrival pick-up areas P3 and P4 to 15 minutes, which was directly relevant to commercial vehicles such as non-aggregator taxis.
According to a spokesperson from BIAL, the changes were made primarily owing to a history of female passengers being harassed by unverified taxi operators at the pickup zones. “Over the years, solo women travellers have highlighted safety risks posed by unauthorised taxi operators, including coercion to pay fares above regulated rates, or being left stranded mid-journey,” says a BIAL spokesperson. They add that the authorities have addressed the “misuse of kerb space, and unauthorised solicitation to safeguard passenger safety”, with passengers able to access the areas for authorised taxi pickups more easily. “The deterrent is that unauthorised taxi operators are no longer allowed to park in the arrival zone to solicit passengers,” according to the spokesperson.
A very significant concern raised by many passengers was the walking distance to the parking zones in P3 and P4 from the arrival gates. The concerns forced the authorities’ hands to add around 20 additional staff members, alongside buggy services, shuttle services (operating every five minutes), a dedicated wheelchair assistance service, and six cars to ferry passengers to the P3 and P4 pick-up zones.
While the changes were met with initial resistance, according to the spokesperson, operations have smoothened out. “Any behavioural change takes time, and we anticipated an initial adjustment period. Over time, both passengers and drivers are adapting well to the new norms,” they say.