Red alert at IGI ahead of R-Day Saurabh Sinha Tuesday, January 24, 2006 03:12:49 am TIMES NEWS NETWORK
NEW DELHI: Following intelligence reports about a possible attack in the run up to the R-Day, a red alert has been sounded at IGI and the place has been converted into an "air fort". CISF has increased deployment inside and around all the terminals and the operational buildings. The security checks have been intensified and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has been asked to station a dog squad at the airport premises itself. According to sources, the screening of cabin baggage has been made stricter. Apart from passing through the X-ray machine, a large number of them are also being opened and frisked thoroughly. Earlier only some bags were either opened at random or when the X-ray machine showed some suspicious object. "Thanks to the low cost airlines, a whole new section of the society has suddenly started flying. Both the budget travellers, and some regular ones, either remain unaware of what can be taken in hand baggage or bring banned things like scissors and small knives in their bags by mistake," said a source... The number of pre-boarding checks (just before entering the aircraft) has also been increased. As of now, the airport does not have a dog squad and that is called from the BCAS as and when required. "The squad makes at least one trip everyday. In wake of the heightened threat, the BCAS has been asked to station a dog squad here for some time round the clock," said sources. Meanwhile, the BCAS has floated tenders for converting four Swaraj Mazda vehicles into "bomb trucks" for the bomb detection and disposal squad. This year, the Airports Authority of India had requested that the airspace not to be closed for the actual flypast and the rehearsals for scheduled flights to avoid disruption of commercial airline schedules. It had proposed that only unscheduled charters and helicopters be banned during those hours. But this request has not been accepted and the airspace was closed on Monday for an hour and this will continue till month-end.
