Bengaluru airport sets 8-minute cap for private vehicles at pick-up zones; fines up to Rs 300

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Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will start charging private vehicles that wait more than eight minutes at arrival pick-up zones from December 8, imposing fees of up to Rs 300 as it moves to curb traffic congestion at India’s third-busiest airport.

Under the new system, entry into the designated arrival pick-up zones at Terminals 1 and 2 will remain free for all private (white-board) vehicles. However, overstaying beyond the allotted eight minutes will attract charges.

“Users will be allowed eight minutes of free access- longer than international norms-after which a fee of Rs 150 will apply for waits between 8-13 minutes and Rs 300 for 13-18 minutes. Vehicles exceeding 18 minutes will be towed to the nearest police station, with fines and towing charges applicable,” BIAL, which operates Kempegowda International Airport, said in a statement.

“All commercial vehicles, including yellow-board taxis and electric cabs, must wait only at the designated parking zones. To ensure smooth pick-up operations, the first 10 minutes of parking will be free. Commercial vehicles serving Terminal 1 must use the P4 and P3 parking areas, while those serving Terminal 2 should proceed to the P2 zone,” it added.

KIA, operated by Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), said the new measures aim to streamline passenger movement, reduce congestion, and improve safety, discipline and overall convenience at the arrival areas.

Bengaluru airport is India’s third-largest and fastest-growing airport, handling around 130,000 passengers daily. Nearly 100,000 vehicles use the airport’s road network every day, placing significant strain on its landside facilities, especially the kerbside drop-off and pick-up lanes in front of the terminals. The new rules aim to ease congestion, improve the passenger experience and align operations with evolving safety requirements.

"Prolonged waiting by private cars and cabs has been contributing to artificial congestion, disrupting traffic flow and inconveniencing passengers. To address this, BIAL is introducing a lane segregation system to enforce discipline, prevent unauthorised parking and reduce dwell times. This is expected to ease kerbside congestion and curb misuse of arrival pick-up zones", it said

Hari Marar, MD & CEO of BIAL, said, “With passenger traffic continuing to rise, especially during the travel season, maintaining discipline at pick-up zones is essential-not as enforcement, but to protect travellers, ensure orderly movement and strengthen trust in the system. When passengers and cab operators follow the designated process, the experience becomes quicker, safer and more convenient for everyone. We look forward to the support of all stakeholders in making the airport experience seamless and well organised.”

"In recent months, the airport has observed increasing instances of unauthorised halts by cabs, vehicles lingering outside arrival gates and exit ramps, and roadside pick-ups. These actions cause crowding, inconvenience passengers, delay movement and pose safety risks. Travellers and cab operators are therefore urged to use only designated pick-up points and authorised aggregators such as Airport Taxi, Uber, Ola, Quick Ride, OHM electric cabs and WTI cabs. Violations—including halting in unauthorised areas, blocking lanes or overstaying beyond permitted duration-will attract penalties", it said.

The initiative is part of the airport’s broader #BeCabWise campaign, aimed at promoting safer and better-regulated pick-up operations through enhanced awareness, on-ground assistance, clearer digital signage and coordination with ride-hailing platforms. The goal is to ensure a congestion-free landside environment with smooth vehicle flow, quicker transition times and well-organised boarding areas, it adds.