5-layer security at Chennai airport ahead of I Day: Details inside

CHENNAI: Five-layer security system has been put in place at Chennai Airport for extra security on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day celebrations.

India will commemorate its 75th anniversary of Independence on Monday, August 15. Following this, The Union Home Ministry has strengthened security measures across states to prevent any untoward incidents. Accordingly, security has been increased at airports, places of worship, and major train and bus stations where people congregate.

At Chennai airport, a 5-layer security system has been implemented since last night as a result of strengthened security arrangement. Security staff deployed sniffer dogs to inspect any suspicious-looking vehicles at the airport's main entrance gate, where arriving vehicles are halted. The airport complex is also being patrolled by armed police. Experts in explosives are carefully inspecting and looking into vehicles that have been parked at the airport for a while.

Visitors ban is being vigorously enforced with strict restrictions in the issuance of BCAS passes already in place. Planes' refuelling area has been given additional security. CCTV cameras have been added to the area in addition to the ones that already exist and are continuously monitored 24 hours a day from the airport security control room.

For travellers, security inspections have indeed increased. In addition to routine passenger inspections, a further security inspection is being carried out. Passengers' handbags, in particular, are inspected and items like liquids, pickles, halva, jam, and oil bottles are prohibited. Similarly, cargo parcels are loaded on planes only after several stages of testing.

Due to enhanced passenger checks, Chennai airport officials have urged domestic passengers to arrive 1.5 hours before the flight's scheduled departure and 3 1/2 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time for international passengers.

According to airport security officials, these security measures will be in place until August 20 at midnight, and the current 5-layer security will be increased to maximum security of 7-layer security on the coming dates of 13, 14, and 15.