The Hindu : Major security revamp at IGI Airport soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 24, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Major security revamp at IGI Airport soon

By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI, MARCH 23. The Delhi airport is soon going to go the Colombo way. Taking lessons from the Sri Lankan airport, the authorities here are contemplating a major makeover plan for the International Terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport here. To make the airport more secure, plans are afoot to utilise the visitor's lounge for entry and security purposes and to discontinue the use of the driveways.

A senior official concerned with airport security said under the scheme vehicles will not be allowed to take the driveway leading up to the departure lounge. The passengers will have to alight at a point on the ground level. Here two escalators will be constructed which will take them to the concourse level.

Once inside what is now the visitor's lounge, the passengers will have to get their baggage checked and undergo personal checks as well.

While as of now eight X-ray machines are being manned by Indian Airlines staff for screening passenger baggage at the international terminal, the number may increase in the new set-up.

Also, more door-frame metal detectors are likely to be added to expedite the process of personal checking.

The plan would also address security concerns to a great deal. By doing away with the driveway it would ensure that the vehicles coming to the terminal do not drive right into it. "This would replicate the Colombo model as there too the authorities had about five years ago reinforced the boundary walls and taken the parking about 300 metres from the main terminal building to minimise the impact of any terrorist strike."

In Delhi, where passengers at present go inside the terminal building without having their baggage scanned at even a single point, the new plan would also help in screen of the baggage in the building which houses the visitor's lounge and is at least a safe distance off the main terminal building.

Though initially the proposal had run into trouble due to some technical aspects and environmental clearances, the official said, it was subsequently felt that this was the most practical and affordable approach to meet the immediate security needs of the Delhi airport, which in the absence of sufficient space is not able to install many ultra-modern security systems like the baggage scanners of Hongkong.

Since the new plan envisages amalgamation of several existing structures, it has now been decided to provide an exterior glass and steel facade to make the international terminal look like one cohesive unit.

The Director of the IGI Airport, P.S. Nair, said "the plan is in the discussion stage" and it would still take some time to fructify.

However, considering that a new airport building is still about five years away, the new plan would provide much-needed relief to the security agencies at the airport.

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