(a) whether attention of the Government have been drawn to the news item captioned `Jammu Hawai Adde Par Bhi Paryapt Suraksha Vyavastha Nahi` appearing in `Navbharat Times` dated December 28, 1999;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the reacation of the Government thereto?
THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION
(SHRI SHARAD YADAV)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) In the said news item it has been alleged that due to
lax security arrangements at Jammu there is a possibility
that some unauthorised persons may be able to enter the
airport in connivance with tour operators and local
officials.
(c) Security arrangements at all airports including Jammu
airport are constantly reviewed at different levels. After
the recent incident of hijacking, following measures have
been taken to beef up of security arrangements at the
airports :
i)Deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
personnel in place of State Police for security duties at
the operational airports in a phased manner. The CISF has
already taken over the security duties at Patna, Jaipur,
Guwahati, Vadodara and Port Blair airports.
ii)Frisking of passengers and hand baggage at the time of
entry into sterile area has been tightened. Ladder point
secondary frisking has been introduced.
iii)Strict control on access to the airports is being
ensured by comprehensive review of photo-identity cards to
restrict the number of pass holders and banning of entry of
the visitors upto 31.3.2000.
iv)Deployment of sky marshals on flights at random basis as
an added safety precaution.
v)Raising of the perimeter wall to the prescribed height at
all the operational airports.
vi)Replacement of old X-Ray machines and installation of new
colour X-Ray machines wherever necessary so as to ensure
that at least 2 X-Ray machines are available at every point.
vii)Modernisation and upgradation of security related
technological set up of the airports is being done in a
phased manner.