The city airport is expected to soon get five full-body scanners that would make security checks quicker and less invasive. The final process to procure these machines for airports across the country is underway, according to sources. “The full-body scanner project for airports was to be implemented before 2020 but the pandemic delayed plans.
Trial runs of these machines are currently on in some airports. Pune was among the first airports in the country where trial runs were held in 2019. With these machines, one can eventually hope for faster security checks and almost no frisking or patting,” an official said.
The machines provide an x-ray like image of the person standing in front of it. It will be put in security hold areas (SHA). “Flyers will have the option to either use the machine or go through the traditional security check. Initially, the traditional method will continue even after a person goes through the machine but its intensity will be lesser.”
“In the future, and as per directions, those flyers who use the machine may not have to go via the frisking process. This will result in faster and more effective checks,” the official said.
Adesh Murthy, a frequent flyer, said: “It is to be seen how the scanners will work. Will there be a different queue for those using them so they can skip being frisked? If not, what is the point in using the machine, and then standing in the same long queue for frisking?”
