The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has reversed its decision to impose an entry fee for vehicles, following significant backlash from drivers and passengers, along with widespread online criticism. According to a report by Moneycontrol, BIAL halted its plan on Monday in response to the growing protests and opposition. Cab drivers, in particular, were strongly against the entry fee and had planned a protest march from Begur Road to the airport's arrival pickup point on May 22, demanding the policy be scrapped.
The entry fee, which was set to start on May 20, applied to both private and commercial vehicles using the arrival pickup lanes at Terminals 1 and 2. Under the revoked policy, yellow board vehicles, including cabs and other commercial vehicles, were to be charged Rs 150 for up to seven minutes, with the fee increasing to Rs 300 after seven minutes.
Private vehicles were to be charged Rs 150 for stays exceeding seven minutes up to 14 minutes. Buses faced a Rs 600 fee, while tempo travellers were required to pay Rs 300, with both allowed entry through lane three at Terminal 1.
The sudden implementation of the entry fees led to chaos at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Sunday, as many passengers and drivers were caught off guard. A source from BIAL had previously justified the fees, stating that the introduction of a pay-and-use zone at the arrival areas was intended to facilitate smoother traffic flow and enhance security measures by preventing haphazard parking and unattended vehicles.
Additionally, the new fees were not to affect app-based aggregators such as Ola and Uber, which operate within designated zones, nor taxis from Meru Cabs, Mega Cabs, and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), as these services already pay separate charges to BIAL.
Signage at Bengaluru airport had warned that unattended vehicles or those staying beyond 15 minutes would be towed to the nearest police station at the owner's expense. However, with the revocation of the entry fee policy, these measures will not be enforced.