New pickup rules at Bengaluru airport: Drivers protest policy, cite passenger woes, business losses; govt tells BIAL to hold talks

BENGALURU: Amid airport taxi drivers' opposition to the new pickup and parking policy at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), the state govt has directed airport operator Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) to hold a consensus meeting with the affected taxi drivers and address their grievances. BIAL is likely to hold the meeting Monday.Friday, taxi drivers briefed transport minister Ramalinga Reddy about the policy, alleging it caused inconvenience to passengers and long-time customers. Under the new system, drivers operating at Terminal 1 were shifted to parking zones P3 and P4, requiring arriving passengers to walk 800 metres from the arrival point to the pickup area. Drivers claimed that arrangements made to access new pickup zones, including shuttle services and buggies, are inadequate, time-consuming, and fail to ensure easy access, particularly for senior citizens and those with heavy luggage.Taxi unions further alleged that BIAL's decision is biased in favour of app-based aggregators, who have commercial agreements with the operator, leaving traditional drivers at a disadvantage. Minister Reddy told TOI that he spoke to BIAL officials and instructed them to resolve the concerns raised. "BIAL maintains that there are no complaints from passengers and the policy is working well. However, I have asked them to ensure systems are in place so that drivers, who have served airport commuters for decades, do not suffer business loss. Penalties, especially, should not burden them," he said.Bruhat Bengaluru Taxi Drivers Union leader Ramesh H said the policy has hit drivers who have provided airport services for generations, including those who continued after the closure of HAL Airport and the start of KIA operations. "Many families have depended on us for years. This trust we built after operating for years. We are receiving complaints that elderly passengers are struggling to carry luggage over such a long distance. BIAL's shuttle and buggy services are insufficient and time-consuming. All we want is to operate as we did earlier," he said. Ramesh also alleged that touts at Terminal 1 increased significantly since the policy was introduced and accused BIAL of failing to curb the issue.