Ahmedabad’s primary aviation gateway has widened the arrivals exit at its domestic terminal, adding three new vehicular lanes to manage growing pick-up traffic and reduce bottlenecks outside Terminal 1. The move at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is aimed at easing peak-hour congestion in a zone that handles the bulk of the city’s daily air travellers. The reconfiguration increases the number of usable lanes at the Terminal 1 arrivals forecourt from six to nine. Airport officials indicated that the redesign separates parking circulation from active pick-up traffic, while also introducing clearer demarcation for taxis and private vehicles. One of the new lanes sits within the internal parking loop, while two additional lanes have been created to streamline cab and private car movement, including a dedicated corridor for app-based taxis.
With an estimated 14,000 vehicles entering and exiting the airport each day nearly 60 per cent of them linked to domestic operations the previous layout frequently led to spillovers onto the approach road. During festival seasons and long weekends, queues would extend beyond the forecourt, disrupting arterial traffic and increasing wait times for passengers. Urban mobility specialists note that such incremental upgrades are increasingly necessary as Indian cities witness rapid growth in air travel without proportional expansion in landside infrastructure. “Terminal capacity is not just about runways and boarding gates,” said an aviation infrastructure consultant. “Efficient curbside management and traffic segregation are critical to safety, emissions reduction and commuter comfort.”
The expansion of the Ahmedabad Airport Terminal 1 forecourt also reflects a wider urban challenge: balancing private vehicle dependency with smoother public access. While improved lane management can cut idling time and reduce localised emissions, planners caution that long-term resilience will depend on integrating airports with mass transit systems, pedestrian pathways and structured parking solutions. Ahmedabad has seen steady growth in passenger volumes over the past decade, supported by industrial expansion, tourism and connectivity to major metros. As secondary cities strengthen their aviation networks, landside upgrades such as this become essential to sustaining economic momentum. Efficient arrivals zones directly influence passenger experience, turnaround times and even airline operations.
For a city positioning itself as a manufacturing and services hub, the operational performance of Ahmedabad Airport Terminal 1 carries symbolic and practical weight. Reduced congestion not only improves commuter convenience but also lowers fuel waste caused by stop-start traffic patterns a small yet meaningful step in aligning airport infrastructure with climate-conscious urban design. Officials indicated that traffic flow will be monitored over the coming months to assess performance gains and identify further improvements. As passenger numbers continue to rise, the focus will likely shift toward multimodal integration and smarter mobility management rather than repeated road widening alone.
