Dear Reader
Keeping Europe on the boil, suicide bombers struck at the Brussels airport killing many innocent travelers and sending shock waves all over the world. For civil aviation security authorities worldwide, this also acted like a trigger to review their security arrangements, spot and plug the gaps.
For a developing country like India, the significance of the Brussels incident has multifold implications, as it is set to expand its civil aviation infrastructure significantly. In this year’s Union Budget presentation, Mr. ArunJaitley, the Finance Minister of India, had announced that the Government is drawing up an action plan for revival of unserved and underserved airports. There are about 160 airports and air strips with State Governments which can be revived at an indicative cost of Rs. 50 crore to 100 crore each. “We will partner with the State Governments to develop some of these airports for regional connectivity. Similarly, 10 of the 25 non-functional air strips with the Airports Authority of India will also be developed”, he had said.
While this may be viewed as a big business opportunity for the Private Security Industry, with these new mini airports coming up and as more and more travellers take to the air, India will have to review its civil aviation security system and overhaul the existing apparatus as the current structure may not be able to bear the increased load.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) was initially set up as a cell in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in 1978 and was reorganized into an independent department under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1987. The main responsibilities of BCAS include laying down standards and procedures with respect to security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India. Its mandate includes laying down Aviation Security Standards in accordance with Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), for airport operators, airlines operators, and their security agencies responsible for implementing AVSEC measures, monitoring the implementation of security rules and regulations, and carrying out surveys of security needs of Indian airports.
BCAS is supposed to ensure that the persons implementing security controls are appropriately trained and possess all competencies required to perform their duties by conducting surprise checks to test their professional efficiency and alertness. It is also supposed to review and test the efficacy of contingency plans and operational preparedness of the various agencies.
However, even with so much happening in the civil aviation arena, the fact is that the top post in BCAS, that of the Commissioner of Security (Civil Aviation) (COSCA), remains vacant since 2012! How can a headless body function effectively without a leader for four years! Forget being proactive, even its response to a crisis is doubtful! While criminals are innovating every day, researching and finding newer ways of breaching aviation security worldwide, our aviation security measures continue to fly on auto pilot!
It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that whether it’s a flight from Alexandria to Cairo or a flight from Shella Airport in Assam to Raxaul in Bihar, a highjack, a hostage situation, or a bombing will still make world news! Therefore, security arrangements have to be equally good at all airports.
Till we meet next month, cheers and happy reading.
G B Singh
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