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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  South India airports put on security alert
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South India airports put on security alert

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security issues warning for all southern airports of potential car-bomb attacks

A file photo of Chennai airport. The BCAS warning comes after a 1 May blast at the Chennai Central railway station that killed one person and left 14 others injured. Photo: Hemant Mishra/MintPremium
A file photo of Chennai airport. The BCAS warning comes after a 1 May blast at the Chennai Central railway station that killed one person and left 14 others injured. Photo: Hemant Mishra/Mint

New Delhi: India’s airport security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which has been running without a permanent head for two years, has warned all southern airports of potential car-bomb attacks.

The warning comes after a 1 May blast at Chennai’s central railway station that killed a 24-year-old passenger of the Bangalore-Guwahati Express and left 14 others injured.

“In view of the above, the following security measures are required to be strengthened by all agencies concerned to prevent any act of unlawful interference with civil aviation operations," Sharath Srinivas, regional deputy commissioner, BCAS, wrote in a 2 May letter reviewed by Mint.

The measures include strict access control to regulate entry into the terminal buildings and all other aviation facilities, city-side counter-terrorist measures, enhanced random screening at entry points to terminal buildings and stringent secondary screening of passengers before boarding.

BCAS also wants airports to check vehicles entering car parks to preclude the possibility of car-bomb attacks.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has already asked all Airport Security Groups at 59 airports to tighten access-control, re-inforce quick reaction teams and undertake multiple screening of suspect passengers.

There are about 125 operational airports in the country of which some such as Goa and Pune come under the control of the armed forces.

Meanwhile, BCAS continues to work without a head.

Aviation minister Ajit Singh said he has no immediate comment to offer for the story.

“It’s been two years they haven’t had a regular appointed Commissioner of Security. It’s a matter of concern," said former Airports Authority of India board member Robey Lal. “You can’t carry on with an acting chief."

Several important issues such as “perimeter security" remain pending, Lal said.

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Published: 05 May 2014, 11:53 PM IST
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