On full alert

On full alert
Author: MiD DAY Correspondent Date: 24 May 2008

City police set up new division for Hebbal-Devanahalli; BIA gets 24-hr control room




UNDER CONTROL: Basavaraj Malaghatti (right), DCP of the newly-formed north-east division, reviews security at BIA yesterday Pic/ Vinod Kumar T
Security at Bengaluru International Airport will be jointly handled by the city police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

The CISF will take care of the physical security of the airport, while the city police will be responsible for peripheral security and immigration.

Deputy commissioner of police Ravikanthe Gowda will be the foreign registration regulation officer (FRRO) and will oversee passenger arrival and departure.

Ravikanthe Gowda’s office will also handle look-out circulars by co-ordinating with their counterparts in other cities to track down criminals.

A 24-hour control room has been set up inside the airport.

The Airports Authority of India will have their own private security guards, who will coordinate with the city police and the CISF.

Surveillance cameras, metal detectors, bomb detectors and jammers have also been set up.
Officers from the directorate of revenue intelligence, customs, and the enforcement directorate will also be on duty at the airport.

The city police department set up a north-east division specifically for Devanahalli, where the new airport is situated. The jurisdiction of the new division will be from Hebbal to Devanahalli.

Basavaraj Malghatti, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), will head the division. It will have three sub-divisions headed by ACPs, and 10 police stations with one inspector each.

Strong measures

The city police had made special security arrangements for the inauguration. There were six DCPs, 36 ACPs, 76 inspectors and 276 sub inspectors on duty for the launch. Over 2,000 police constables were deployed. Several police patrol vehicles also did the rounds between Mekhri Circle and Hebbal.

BIAL timeline

1991
Project conceived under civil aviation minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

1998
Tatas-led consortium walks out of deal due to delay in clearance.

1999
MoU signed between
KSIIDC and Airports Authority of India (AAI).

2001
State government selects Seimens-led consortium.

2002
Former PM Vajpayee performs ground breaking ceremony.

2004
Former chief minister S M Krishna performs ground breaking ceremony again in January
State government gives final clearance at end of year

2005
Agreement signed between state government and BIAL in January.
Construction begins in July.

2008
March 8: First test flight from HAL airport to BIA
May 11: First proposed launch date
May 23: Second proposed launch date
May 24: BIAL finally launches airport