The Hindu : Security risks to international airport

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 24, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Security risks to international airport

By S. Anil Radhakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JUNE 23. Lack of effective supervision by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the reluctance on the part of some operating airlines to adhere to security guidelines are posing a security risk to the capital's international airport which has been listed as "hyper sensitive'' from the viewpoint of threat perception.

The gates are left unmanned after 6 p.m., and there are no watch towers nor is patrolling done around the perimeter. Besides, airlines do not bother about secondary stepladder checking of hand baggage and frisking of passengers and baggage is left unstrapped after final checking, posing major security threats.

While it is left to the police to provide security at access control, check passes, tickets and hand baggage and frisk the passengers at the security hold, it is for airlines to ensure other security arrangements.

Only the main gate and the two terminal buildings have armed guards. The airport functions round the clock, but sources said the gates of the FCI, the KSIE's cargo complex and Fire Force station as well as the gate on the Vallakkadavu side through which the `arat' procession passes, are not manned after 6 p.m.

Adequate security personnel have not been posted at the main gate to check vehicles, verify permits, issue tokens to construction workers and check photo identity cards.

A top police official, who paid a surprise visit to the airport around 2 a.m. recently, was taken aback to find that no security personnel was at the gates when passengers bound to travel by a Kuwait Airways flight were waiting at the counters.

At present, there is no facility to check vehicles that bring perishables and other commodities to the cargo complex in the wee hours of the day. Those deployed in the complex are contract staff and this runs counter to BCAS guidelines.

Airport sources said the gates, which are located along the boundary wall, cannot be checked as prior permission of the Air Traffic Control is needed for officials to cross the tarmac.

The X-ray Baggage Inspection System of the Airports Authority of India installed in the domestic terminal to screen registered baggage of Jet Airways and IA passengers have reportedly run down. A TV is being used in the place of the monitor, which has been hit by a snag.

Sources in the security wing said consignments could hardly be screened as the TV screen lacks clarity. Three security personnel are needed for manning each machine. While one profiles passengers, the second views the monitor and the third conducts a random physical check of 15 per cent of the baggage. Often, personnel have to view the monitor for four hours at a stretch.

At the international terminal, IA and AI own an X-ray machine each to screen the registered baggage. IA does the screening for Oman, Qatar, Silk and Srilankan Airlines also while AI does it for Kuwait and Gulf Airways. IA's machine has become obsolete and the monitor has been replaced with a TV.

There have also been instances of tampering with `security- checked' stickers. Following the Rs. 2.49-crore currency seizure from an Oman-bound passenger in May 2001, the BCAS has asked the operating airlines to ensure strapping of the entire luggage. The AI has the strapping machine, but has not installed the same.

At the cargo complex, the perishables and other screened commodities are left unattended. Sources said the consignments could be freely interchanged at this point. Only AI has escorting facility for screened cargo. Other operating airlines do not even bother to verify whether the security clearance had been adhered to while loading it.

Only AI and Gulf Air have godowns for the mandatory "cooling off'' the cargo which is not X-rayed. Other operating airlines use the godowns of KSIE manned by private security personnel, which again is against the BCAS guidelines.

The secondary stepladder checking, made mandatory after the Khandahar incident, is also not being followed. Only Jet Air frisks passengers and checks hand baggage at present. Srilankan Airlines and Kuwait Airways get the frisking done onboard by their own security staff. Air India carries out the frisking but does not check hand baggage. Sources said IA, Gulf Air, Oman, Silk Air and Qatar do not do the checking or the frisking.

The vehicles rushing in with pre-set food trays from the flight kitchen to the aircraft have often been found straying into the sterile area causing security risks. Photo identity cards issued to the staff of a flight-catering group to clean the aircraft on the recommendation of AI are used to serve other aircraft belonging to Oman and Qatar Airways.

Sources said there is no effective supervision at the baggage make-up area and no proper baggage identification. Almost 90 per cent of the workforce engaged in loading and unloading are contract staff, but are not bound by any surveillance. The IA additionally handles the operations of Qatar, Oman, Sri Lankan and Silk Air, while AI does it for Gulf Air and Kuwait Airways. Despite this, no additional security personnel have been made available to take care of the security aspects.

When contacted, the Airport Director, Narinder Kaushal, claimed that the airport gates were being manned by security personnel and that patrolling along the perimeter wall was undertaken on a regular basis. Movement of individuals was being monitored and the baggage and cargo screened thoroughly. Despite the constraints of manpower, the State police have made available the services of some personnel for airport security, he said. Floodlights have been installed in the aprons and new X-Ray machines have been set up. The boundary wall has been raised at critical points and reinforced, taking into consideration the threat perception. He admitted that there are airlines that do not follow the BCAS guidelines on stepladder checking.

With the Central Industrial Security Force personnel taking over the security from July first week, he said, the overall security position at the airport would be further enhanced.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Security risks to international airport

Study lauds in-built security in fishing industry

BOT pact for Vilappil project comes under cloud

Be people-friendly, CM tells police

TTP cold-shoulders proposal for direct marketing

200 more medical seats likely in State

New treatment for infertility