3 min readPuneFeb 17, 2026 06:56 PM IST
First published on: Feb 17, 2026 at 06:56 PM IST
Pune International Airport is planning to enforce a time-bound pick-up system for vehicles, with the rollout expected soon. Under the proposed rules, vehicles will be allowed no more than 13 to 15 minutes in front of the arrivals area, after which they are subject to a fine.
Pune airport director, Santosh Dhoke, confirmed that the proposal is in its final stages, awaiting clearance from the Airports Authority of India headquarters. “We are awaiting a go-ahead from our headquarters regarding the time-bound vehicle entry system. It will be rolled out soon,” he said.
A sensor or camera-based system will log the time a private vehicle enters the airport entry terminal. If the vehicle is still there beyond the permissible time window, the owner will be penalised. “The time a vehicle enters the building for a pick-up will be recorded, and the same will be matched as the vehicle exits,” YS Rajput, vice-president of Aero Mall, explained.
The Pune airport handles roughly 17,500 arriving passengers every day. On average, between 11,000 and 12,000 private vehicles visit the airport for pick-ups and drop-offs, while another 5,000 commercial cabs pass through the facility daily. The pressure on the circulating area in front of the terminal has been mounting steadily, particularly during late evening hours.
Rajput added that the problem is partly behavioural. Vehicles that come to drop someone off often linger long after the passenger has entered the building. “Vehicles take up their own time when they park in front of the arrivals area. Even vehicles that have come only to drop off passengers stay parked, even though there is a rule against it. The crowding near arrivals eventually spills over towards the departures side too,” he said.
Frequent flyers have also been expressing their frustration regarding the traffic. K Shambhavi, who travels regularly through Pune airport, says, “There have been many instances when the arrival area is choked by private vehicles, becoming difficult to halt near the departure terminal, causing inconvenience for particularly senior citizens and physically disabled people. And those who’re already running late may also miss flights,” she said.
Travellers also called for multi-stakeholder coordination. “AAI, CISF, state police and other concerned authorities must coordinate and resolve this issue, and the parking time should now be enforced strictly,” Shambhavi added.
Vinay Sawant, an industrialist and regular flyer, also voiced similar problems. “During late evenings or early mornings, private vehicles lined up along the roadside. The road is already narrow, and this makes it difficult to navigate. Authorities deploy wheel clamps to deal with illegally parked and immobilised vehicles, and that often leads to arguments and further congestion,” she said, welcoming the decision while adding that a time-bound system was long overdue.
Moreover, for those passengers in a hurry, Aero Mall has introduced a facility near the arrivals exit where travellers can request a cab on priority. “Those in emergency can reach out to the desk at the arrivals gate. Following this, a cab is then dispatched promptly, and this also helps take some pressure off the main pick-up zone,” said Rajput.
On average, between 11,000 and 12,000 private vehicles visit the airport for pick-ups and drop-offs, while another 5,000 commercial cabs pass through the facility daily. (File photo) 
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