Date:24/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/24/stories/2008042459711200.htm

National

Radar blip no major security lapse: Patel

Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD: The radar blip at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Tuesday, which caused concerns about Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s safety, was due to an Indian Air Force aircraft and could not be considered a major security lapse, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said here on Wednesday.

Mr. Patel was here to inaugurate the new domestic arrival building at the Ahmedabad airport.

He said the preliminary reports indicated that the blip was caused by an IAF Dornier plane, which came in the Prime Minister’s flight path. But it was flying behind the Prime Minister’s special plane, much above its flight path and at a safe distance. “There was nothing to worry about from the security point of view.”

Mr. Patel said a thorough probe had been ordered into the incident to avoid its recurrence.

Plea to Gujarat

Meanwhile, Mr. Patel, who later also inaugurated the Rs 24-crore new terminal building at the Porbandar airport in the presence of the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, requested the State government to reduce taxes on aviation turbine fuel to make air travel cheaper in the State.

Mr. Patel said regional connectivity was bound to be affected if the State governments did not reduce taxes on the aviation fuel.

Mr. Patel said the airport at Porbandar would be provided with night landing facilities by the end of September, this year.