After 5 mins, cars must pay to wait at IGIA

“The system of charging overstaying vehicles is important as it will help curtail traffic jams and control speeding vehicles. It will also encourage authorised parking,” a DIAL official said.

Last year, the system was operational only at the arrival terminal of the domestic airport. DIAL is now planning to introduce it at the domestic departure terminal and Terminal 3 as well.

Officials said the survey has taken into consideration the elderly and children and will fix the time slab accordingly.

The airport operator is also looking at increasing the time slab so as to accommodate everyone easily. While the first five minutes will be free, the next five minutes will cost a visitor Rs 100. The subsequent time slab of five to ten minutes will cost another Rs 100.

Officials also said the system will capture licence plates as well as the driver’s face, which will be a useful tool in identifying threats.

In the earlier system, a ticket would be issued by the automated system to the vehicle, mentioning the time of arrival.

At the exit, the ticket would have to be deposited. If the visitor had exceeded the free time slab of five minutes, extra charges would be levied. While the first five minutes were free, every subsequent minute cost Rs 100.

“The system had led to a marked improvement in traffic management and heightened safety of airport visitors, passengers and staff in the process. This system is already in place at airports across the world and in Mumbai and Kolkata,” the official said.