Member of Parliament Dr. K Sudhakar has directed officials of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to allow private taxi drivers to continue parking facilities as earlier and to frame appropriate rules to ensure their livelihood is not adversely affected. A conciliation meeting held between the taxi drivers and airport authorities has offered reassurance and moved the issue towards an amicable resolution.

Currently, private taxi drivers have been allotted a parking space nearly 500 metres away from the terminal, causing inconvenience to both drivers and passengers. Arriving passengers, especially the elderly and those with luggage, are unable to walk such a long distance to access taxi services. Protesting the new parking arrangement, taxi drivers had staged demonstrations. Following a representation by taxi drivers’ associations, Dr. Sudhakar convened a meeting on Tuesday with representatives of the drivers and airport authorities.

Dr. Sudhakar highlighted that nearly 18,000 to 20,000 youth from districts such as Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Tumakuru and neighbouring regions earn their livelihood through taxi services at the airport. Close to one lakh family members are dependent on this occupation. Many private taxi drivers have been serving airport passengers for the last 15–20 years, building long-standing relationships with regular travellers and providing affordable, reliable services.

However, since December 8, drivers have been shifted to a distant parking location, leading to operational difficulties and loss of income. Dr. Sudhakar stressed that the earlier parking arrangement should be restored. He pointed out that while app-based aggregators charge fares in the range of Rs 1,200–1,500, local private taxi drivers often offer services at significantly lower rates. “Passengers should have the freedom to choose their preferred service provider. Aggregators are present everywhere, and the final choice must rest with the customer,” he said.

Addressing concerns raised by airport officials about congestion, Dr. Sudhakar suggested that parking space could be made available to private taxi drivers by levying a nominal user fee, ensuring orderly access without overcrowding.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Dr. Sudhakar said that the concerns of the drivers had been clearly conveyed and that a positive resolution is expected within a week. He noted that all the private taxi drivers are local residents and Kannadigas, largely from Ramanagara, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru Rural districts. Many of them had even contributed land for the airport project.

“The airport authority must engage with drivers in a spirit of coordination and sensitivity. A practical solution should be worked out within three to four days without causing hardship to those whose livelihoods depend on the airport,” he said.

He added that State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy would also be holding discussions on the matter and that he would personally engage with him. If necessary, the issue would be taken up with Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu for further deliberation.