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Smart cards to replace I-cards at airports

Ashwini Phadnis

NEW DELHI, Oct. 29

IN an effort to further tighten security at airports, the Government is in the process of acquiring smart cards to replace the existing identification cards worn by staff at airports.

Further, a new Civil Aviation Security Act is also to be promulgated which will ensure that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will work as a regulator with powers to decide security standards.

Announcing this at the launch of the first aviation security week here today, the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, said the Government will not compromise on the issue of security. The Chief of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security , Mr Veeranna Aivalli added that the smart cards will be microprocessor chip-based which will regulate entry of people into certain areas at various airports in the country.

Outlining the steps which the Government has taken to ensure more security, the Minister said that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, who are undergoing special training are slowly taking over duties at more and more airports. "The C ISF has already taken over duty at Bhubaneshwar and Amritsar airport and will shortly take up their job in Chennai and Kolkata airports," Mr Hussain said.

Furthermore, sky marshals were being deployed in all airlines, multi-layered security checks were being carried out and state-of-the-art surveillance technology has been installed.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Aivalli, said that though all the work done in the field of security was satisfactory, there was still a lot which needed to be done.

"There is a need to create awareness and to make the passengers conscious of their rights and responsibilities. There is a need to seek the cooperation and assistance of all concerned to ensure security," Mr Aivalli said. The BCAS chief also said that w hile there were bomb detection squads at the airports in the four metros, these were being expanded to airports in other cities also.