Republic Day: Airports on high alert

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is providing security cover to major airports, has decided to conduct decoy operations to check the preparedness of airlines at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) and other airports in the wake of the red alert issued to all airports across the country in view of Republic Day celebrations and the Mangaluru airport incident,

The move is not only aimed at knowing whether airlines are adhering to security norms prescribed by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security but also to enable the CISF to check the alertness of its own personnel deployed at the airport. Posing as passengers, CISF teams will enter the operations area and the flight to know if there are any chinks in the security. At the same time, the teams will also keep a watch on the CISF staff posted at the airport to know whether they are frisking flyers properly.

If teams find negligence on the part of airlines or the CISF personnel, necessary action will be taken against them. Anti-hijacking, anti-terror and anti-sabotage squads are also being pressed into service at all airports after the Mangaluru airport bomb scare. These specialised



squads will carry out random frisking at the airports.

“We issue instructions to officials concerned to beef up security at the airport during Republic Day celebrations. Additional precautionary measures are already in place after the Manguluru bomb scare,” an official said. At present, around 2,000 CISF personnel are deployed at the RGIA. Officials are seeking the cooperation of passengers during the frisking and advising them not to carry prohibited articles in their baggage.

Passengers must cooperate with the security staff if the latter ask to remove belts and garments embedded with metal. Flyers must also carry a hard copy of the ticket as it may come in handy in case the staff refuses to accept the soft copy, said an official.

The entry of visitors to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad, along with other major airports, has been prohibited in the wake of the terror alert. The prohibitory orders were imposed following instructions from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. CISF officials said the restrictions on visitors’ entry would continue till January 30.