Full-body scanners likely to be introduced at certain airports by April end
These airports fall under the hypersensitive category, as per the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security
Security check area in Mumbai Airport (PIB)
NEW DELHI: A senior official in the Ministry of Civil Aviation informed that after a successful trial run and clearances from other departments and related security agencies, full body scanners are likely to be introduced at airports with more than five million footfalls by April end.
These airports fall under the hypersensitive category, as per the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
"In a meeting with airport operators, they have been informed of installing full-body scanners. Likely the Bangalore airport will be the first airport to introduce full body scanners. Delhi Airport is also likely to add the safety feature very soon," a senior official said. It has been informed that full-body scanners will cut the passenger frisking time by half.
"After evaluating the success report of full-body scanners at these four airports, other airports in the queue will get the facility at the earliest. In the meeting, various aspects like procurement, installation, training of security personnel and operations were discussed," a senior official added.
According to officials, these millimetre-wave technology-based full-body scanners work on the principle of body contours, i.e. these are designed to detect objects that could be concealed in the body. The Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS) commemorates its 38th Raising Day on Monday.
The event was organised in Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, and graced by the presence of Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Home Secretary of India, Tapan Kumar Deka, Director of Intelligence Bureau of India, and Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Reorganised into an independent department on April 1, 1987, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, BCAS is the regulatory authority for civil aviation security in India.
It is headed by an officer of the rank of Director General of Police and is designated as Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security who is the appropriate authority for the implementation of Annexure-17 to the Chicago convention of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP).