BMTC's plan to expand Vayu Vajra airport bus services has been stalled after BIAL cut bus bays at Kempegowda airport's Terminal 1 from 14 to 7. The move has reduced ridership and caused daily revenue losses of Rs 3-4 lakh.
A decision by Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) to sharply reduce bus parking space at Terminal 1 (T1) of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has dealt a major blow to Bengaluru’s popular airport bus service, Vayu Vajra. The move has forced the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to reconsider its plan to expand affordable bus connectivity to the airport.
BMTC officials say the lack of space has made it impossible to add new services, even as demand for airport travel continues to grow.
State govt steps in over airport parking chaos
Karnataka government has asked BIAL to change its new parking and pickup rules at Kempegowda International Airport within a week, after widespread complaints from passengers and drivers. The order, as reported by Indian Express, came after Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh visited the airport and reviewed the situation. The new policy had restricted vehicle access near arrival gates, forcing passengers to walk nearly 800 metres with luggage to reach taxis. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had earlier criticised airport officials over the hardship caused. BIAL has now agreed to hold talks with stakeholders, allow private vehicles to park at P4, and permit pickups directly at the arrivals area.
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BMTC plan for 50 new buses put on hold
BMTC had planned to introduce around 50 additional Vayu Vajra buses on new routes connecting more parts of the city to the airport. However, officials now admit the plan may be shelved.
“When there is no space to operate, what is the point of adding new buses?” a BMTC official said, according to report by The Times of India. He warned that passengers could be forced to rely more on taxis, which are far more expensive than buses.
Bus bays reduced from 14 to seven
The core problem lies in the drastic reduction of bus bays at T1. The number of bays has been cut from 14 to just seven after an entire row was removed and allocated to a private taxi operator.
This change has created serious operational challenges for BMTC. Around 80% of airport bus passengers board Vayu Vajra buses at T1, which also generates most of BMTC’s airport-related revenue.
Since the bays were reduced, daily ridership has fallen by more than 1,000 passengers. This has caused a revenue loss of about Rs 3–4 lakh every day.
Congestion and rushed departures frustrate passengers
Earlier, buses were parked across two rows, allowing smoother movement and longer waiting times for passengers. Now, all buses are squeezed into a single row.
“We earlier handled 532 departures using two rows. With only one row now, congestion builds up very quickly,” a senior BMTC official said.
To avoid traffic pile-ups, buses are now forced to leave within minutes of arrival. As a result, many passengers miss their preferred bus and turn to taxis instead.
Affordable service at risk
Vayu Vajra buses serve far-off suburbs like Attibele and Jigani, more than 65 km from the airport. The maximum fare on these routes is Rs 430, making the service much cheaper than taxis.
Officials fear the reduced bus space is indirectly pushing passengers towards private taxi operators.
“We are now being forced to compete with taxi operators who have an agreement with BIAL,” the official said.
"This is a retrograde step. They should focus on improving public transport at KIA," said city resident S Shekar. He added that a “cars-only” approach would worsen congestion in Bengaluru.
Transport experts warn that reducing public transport space at the airport goes against sustainable mobility goals. As air travel grows, they say Bengaluru needs better bus access, not fewer facilities.
BMTC officials maintain they are ready to expand services, if space is restored.
