Bengaluru: Bangalore International Airport Ltd’s decision to reduce the number of bus bays at Terminal 1 (T1) of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has forced Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to reconsider its plan to expand the popular Vayu Vajra airport bus service.BMTC had proposed adding 50 more buses on new airport routes, but officials now say the plan may be put on hold because of acute space constraints at T1. “When there is no space to operate, what is the point of adding new buses?” a BMTC official said, warning that air passengers may increasingly be pushed towards taxis, a far more expensive alternative.
The number of bus bays at T1 was reduced from 14 to just seven after an entire row was removed and allotted to a private taxi operator. This has created serious operational challenges for BMTC, which currently operates 156 Vayu Vajra buses on 22 routes, connecting various parts of the city to the airport. Officials said nearly 80% of airport bus passengers board Vayu Vajra buses at T1, which also generates the bulk of BMTC’s airport-related revenue. Since the reduction in bus bays, daily ridership has dropped by more than 1,000 passengers, resulting in a revenue loss of Rs 3-4 lakh every day.BMTC runs airport bus services to distant suburbs such as Attibele and Jigani, located more than 65km from the airport. The maximum fare on these routes is Rs 430 per passenger, making Vayu Vajra a significantly cheaper alternative to taxis.“The earlier 14-bay layout allowed buses to be parked comfortably. Now everything has been squeezed into a single row,” a senior BMTC official said. “Earlier, we handled 532 departures using two rows. With only one row now, congestion builds up very quickly,” the official added.According to officials, buses are now forced to depart within minutes of arriving at the terminal to avoid pile-ups, unlike earlier when they could wait longer for passengers. This has led to many passengers missing buses of their choice and opting for taxis instead.“We are now being forced to compete with taxi operators, who have reached an agreement with BIAL,” the BMTC official said. “We are ready to offer airport services from many more locations, but without adequate parking space at the terminal, it is simply not feasible.”BIAL has not yet issued a statement on the issue, but the move has drawn criticism online. “This is a retrograde step. They should focus on increasing public transport infrastructure around KIA,” said S Shekar, adding that a “cars-only” approach was worsening congestion in Namma Bengaluru.
