'Airports security under constant review'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 18. Measures to strengthen security at airports were constantly reviewed to safeguard civil aviation operations against ``unlawful interference'', the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr. Sharad Yadav, told members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry last Friday.

He said the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, the authority for monitoring security at airports, had recently updated security measures in the form of installation of improved instruments, update of contingency plan and promotion and care taken in frisking passengers.

On the recommendation of the Committee of Secretaries set up after the hijack of the Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu in December 1999, personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force had been deployed at 20 airports (of the 66 functional ones). So far, 3868 CISF personnel had been posted and plans were afoot to deploy more.

The Minister bemoaned the rise in aviation turbine fuel cost which, he said, had made a dent in the profits of airlines. Had it not been so, Air India would have made a higher profit this year. Indian Airlines had decided to absorb the rise in fuel and did not resort to fare increase.

Instead, it took measures to restore the confidence of passengers after the Patna aircrash. As a result, passenger figures had risen to 24,000 per day in December from 17,000 passengers per day in August. The airline had signed a letter of intent for leasing five Boeing 737-200 aircraft and two Airbus A-320 which will join the fleet soon.

During the discussions, the members suggested that the security system needed to be more passenger friendly.

Appropriate orientation and training was necessary for security personnel at airports. Most members expressed the need for trained aviation security force of international standard to be recruited at the airports.

The Minister said deployment of an independent security force was a long-term measure and the matter was under consideration of the Ministry. The Minister of State, Mr. Chamanlal Gupta, also attended the meeting along with senior officials.

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