Ahmedabad: Visitors to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in the city who choose to pay parking charges in cash will now have to dig deeper into their pockets, as the airport management has introduced an additional fee of ₹100 for motorists opting for cash payments.

The move has caused confusion and irritation among those dropping off or picking up passengers. However, airport authorities claim the measure is intended to encourage digital transactions and improve operational efficiency.

The city airport currently handles more than 250 domestic and international flights each day, with over 35,000 passengers passing through daily.

At present, parking is charged at ₹50 for 30 minutes for two-wheelers and ₹150 per hour for cars, typically collected through digital modes. Under the revised system, cash payments will increase the two-wheeler parking fee to ₹150 and car parking to ₹250. The airport has displayed notices at payment counters informing users about the new rule.

Several visitors have criticised the decision, calling it unreasonable. Airport officials, however, maintained that cash transactions take longer to process and that the policy was introduced to speed up operations and promote cashless payments. They added that the system has been in effect for some time. DeshGujarat