Question : INADEQUATE SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS AT GUWAHATI AIRPORT



(a) whether certain events at the Guwahati Airport have revealed inadequate security arrangements there;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen the security arrangements at airports?

Answer given by the minister

THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION
(SHRI SHARAD YADAV)
(a) No, Sir.


(b) Does not arise.


(c) The following measures have been taken by the Government to strengthen security arrangements at airports :


i) Deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel in place of the 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 on comprehensive review of photo-identity cards to restrict the number of pass holders and banning of entry of 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 techonological set up at the airports is being done in a phased manner.