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Delay in launch of baggage screening system at airport

Nedumbassery: The formal launch of the inline X-ray baggage inspection system at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has been postponed owing to a delay in obtaining approval from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

Though CIAL had integrated the inline screener with the baggage conveyor system at the international departure terminal, it is yet to get the final operational nod from BCAS, airport sources said.

They attributed the delay to a procedural lag at BCAS adding that they now looked forward to commissioning the system in a month.

Earlier this month, CIAL had informed all its customer airlines that it was planning to take up the task of baggage screening from Air India from January 15th.

The airport company purchased the system from Smith Heiman — a German security equipment producer — at a cost of over 10 crore. This was following a circular from the Centre to improve security apparatus at all airports in the country.

The machine can screen 1,300 bags per hour apart from identifying around 75 types of bags and producing up to five images of any baggage.

With a fully automated transition of the baggage to the aircraft, it will also reduce the waiting time before check-in counters and expedite the pre-departure procedure.

It also carries the approval of major security agencies like the Transport Security Administration of the U.S. and the National Body of Civil Aviation in Italy, sources said.

The inline system envisages a three-tier screening of baggage involving high-resolution X-rays at the first level, screening experts operating from a work station at the second level and sniffer dog and narcotic and bomb detection experts at the final level.

If it is rejected at the final stage, the baggage will be taken off the conveyor and will be examined physically in the presence of the passenger.

It will also address the concern of baggage tampering, they said.

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