Waiting at airport becomes longer

Waiting at airport becomes longer
Vigilance High After Mumbai Blasts But Only Two Security Gates
The Times of India

Bangalore: Waiting for security checks at the HAL airport has become longer, thanks to the heightened security environment after the Mumbai blasts.

From an average of one minute before passengers were cleared for departure, the waiting time has now gone up to least three minutes and it is worse during peak hours.

Queues have become longer and there are stringent security checks. Added to the woes, passengers have no other option but to wait patiently for clearance as there are only two security gates.

The HAL airport handles nearly 12,000 domestic passengers and 2,000 international passengers everyday. Though for the last one year, no terrorist has been caught at the airport, the exercise of checking has to be intensified, says an airport official. But the number of security clearance channels are abysmally less, officials add.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has ordered that all visitors entry be strictly banned following the Mumbai blasts and agencies are taking no chances. BCAS teams are working overnight to ensure more security. Security has been stepped up and patrolling around the airport has been increased. Also, random checking of X-rayed baggage have been increased.

Airport staff have been asked to look for suspicious baggage and movement of people. All the airlines have been asked to do more random checks especially on international flights.

Sources said the Airport Authority of India (AAI) plans to install a CCTV to record all entry of vehicles into the airport area and computerise the information. The AAI has also written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to provide X-ray machines which can detect explosive devices. The authorities have sent a proposal for two explosives detection-enabled X-ray machines.