New year, same chaos: VIP cars, touts continue to choke airport arrival
Telegraph | 8 January 2026
Another new year has arrived, but Calcutta airport’s long-standing problems show no sign of easing.
Beacon-fitted cars continue to be parked along the kerbside outside the terminal’s arrival gates, forcing passengers — many of them elderly, carrying luggage or using wheelchairs — to board their vehicles from the second or even third lane.
Over the past few days, Metro visited the airport and found persistent chaos in front of the arrival area, where passengers exit the terminal and get into their vehicles. Beacon-fitted cars displaying boards of various government agencies were parked for long durations, blocking the kerbside meant for quick pick-ups.
Buses were also seen stationed directly in front of the building’s gates. Sources said the buses were waiting to pick up jawans of paramilitary forces.
Cars, including a beacon-fitted one, parked outside an arrival gate at the airport on Monday.
Cars, including a beacon-fitted one, parked outside an arrival gate at the airport on Monday.
Kerbside chaos
During a visit last week, Metro witnessed congestion along the arrival-level kerbside in the afternoon, with multiple lanes blocked by VIP vehicles parked well beyond permissible limits.
Despite a designated VIP parking zone, several vehicles remained stationed in front of the terminal, particularly near arrival gates 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B. Cars fitted with beacons or displaying boards identifying them as belonging to various government departments lined the kerbside, leaving little space for either passengers or vehicles.
A white Maruti Suzuki Ertiga bearing a “Government of India Customs” board was seen parked outside gates 3A and 3B for nearly half an hour. Another white car with a “Police” sticker stood near gate 2B for close to an hour.
An airport official was seen speaking to the drivers of some of these vehicles, but they paid no heed.
Across the road, the lane designated for app-based cabs was crowded with touts. Several were seen approaching arriving passengers, offering cab rides and hotel bookings at rates significantly higher than those charged by app-based platforms.
Repeat scenes
A visit this week revealed a similar scene, though with fewer beacon-fitted cars. During an hour at the airport, this newspaper saw a white car bearing a “Lok Bhavan” tag parked near arrival gates 3A and 3B from around 3pm.
Another white car with a “Police” sticker was seen standing near the same gates from 2.45pm to 3.39pm. Throughout this period, no police personnel were visible managing traffic or preventing unauthorised parking.
Touts were again seen roaming outside the terminal, approaching arriving passengers and offering cab services at inflated rates.
Passengers’ ordeal
Kunal Mahato, 35, who arrived in Calcutta with his family from Delhi on an Air India Express flight last Monday afternoon, said getting into a cab became an ordeal moments after stepping out of the terminal.
“There is a series of VIP cars parked right in front of the arrival gates. We had no option but to cross the road with our two-year-old daughter to get into the car,” Mahato said.
Other travellers were also seen facing similar difficulties.
What officials say
An airport official said vehicles are allowed to stop in front of the departure or arrival levels for eight minutes to pick up or drop passengers. A fine of ₹500 is imposed on vehicles that exceed the time limit.
“The police have removed lane dividers in front of the departure area to reduce congestion. Earlier, if a car stopped to drop a passenger, vehicles behind it could not move ahead, leading to huge congestion,” the official said.
On the issue of beacon-fitted cars occupying the arrival kerbside, the official said the matter would be taken up again. “We will be speaking to the police authorities in the next meeting. Traffic management on the city side is the responsibility of the police,” he said.
A police officer said drivers of beacon-fitted vehicles are routinely instructed to park in the designated area opposite the old domestic terminal. “They have been told to come and wait in front of the terminal only a few minutes before the passenger exits. We often prosecute vehicles that remain parked for long durations,” the officer said.
An airport official said the parking agency staff often ask these vehicles to move, but they refuse to budge. “The police often force our vehicle — parked near gate 3C on the departure level for emergencies — to be moved, but say nothing to the beacon-fitted cars,” the official said.