Passengers might now undergo an additional security check just before entering or leaving an aircraft to ensure foolproof safety of a flight. The Bureau of Civil Aviation and Security (BCAS) has asked national and private airlines to introduce the extra layer of security in the wake of the terrorist attack in Punjab. Known as the secondary ladder point security check (SLPSC), the system includes a random check of passengers by the airline staff itself on the aerobridge or ladder in case of any suspicious activity. The instructions apply to all domestic and international airports.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) sources at Amausi airport confirmed that the instructions had been conveyed to all private airlines. Lucknow airport happens to be the secondary airport to the one in Delhi. “The additional security measure comes in handy in case of flight diversion,” said a senior AAI official. This check will be apart from the routine security check a passenger undergoes at the terminal. “In any case the security is always beefed up in case of an alarming incident like a terrorist attack,” said the Officer on Special Duty, AAI, SK Narain.
Airport sources said intelligence agencies had been alerted to keep a strong vigil inside the terminal buildings, both domestic and international, as and when a flight arrives from any destination. “The sleuths may be in their civvies. So, you never know that the person around you is a cop,” said a senior official. The AAI has also decided to deploy additional security staff of its own to assist security agencies like the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that look after the crucial airport installation. Sources said CISF personnel, too, have been asked to step up the vigil not only in the security hold area of the airport but also in the circulation area around the terminal building.
