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Only six of the 59 airports guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the country have operational bomb detection and disposal squads, according to an audit by the paramilitary agency, raising concerns about safety measures.
Only the security forces at the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Cochin and Hyderabad are equipped to defuse and dispose off explosives, a Hindustan Times report said, quoting the audit report that it reviewed.
An operation bomb defuser squad requires 28 pieces of equipment including explosive vapour detectors, bomb disposal suits, and remote-operated vehicles. All the required pieces of equipment are available only at the six airports named above.
“Even if one equipment is not available, the squad cannot be made functional. We have written to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and civil aviation ministry, asking them to provide this crucial equipment at the earliest,” a CISF officer told the paper requesting anonymity.
CISF is responsible for security at 59 of India’s 98 operational airports.
The absence of bomb disposal squads at airports poses a potential risk to aviation security as well as the passengers. In case a suspected explosive is found, the CISF has to summon a bomb disposal team from the nearest police station, delaying the security response, an aviation security expert told the paper.
“The report is self-explanatory and there is no doubt that Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) is essential for airport security,” Arvind Ranjan, a former director general of the CISF, told the paper.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BAIL) has only 24 of the 28 required pieces of equipment specified by the BCAS, the audit report said.
Responding to the audit report, BAIL stated that requirement of three of the four pieces of equipment are under deliberation with the government and the fourth item entails a long lead time, which will be procured shortly.
“BIAL is firmly committed to comply with all security regulations and has consistently provided the latest and best equipment and facilities to the security forces at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. BIAL constantly engages with the CISF and other security agencies to ensure the safety and security of our passengers.”
Even the airports operated by AAI lack some of the bomb diffusing equipments such as such as explosive vapour detectors and remote-operated vehicles.
“AAI has also procured 18-21 bomb detection and disposal squad equipment for 13 AAI airports. However, detection equipment-- vapour detector--has not been procured, due to which we are unable to operationalise the squad. In 59 airports, we require 1,652 equipments but only 423 are available,” the CISF officer told the paper.
A spokesperson for AAI said explosive vapour detectors will be procured by September 2018 for installation at 18 airports operated by it.
“In the first phase, we have provided equipment at 18 AAI airports…we have provided 12 of the 13 crucial equipment, which BCAS has described as priority one. We have procured bomb suits but the detector, which is the 13th equipment, will be made available by September 2018,” an AAI official told the paper on condition of anonymity.
Mini remotely operated vehicles, which are used to dispose off explosives, are also being procured for 18 airports in phase one of the procurement, the AAI said, adding that the remaining equipment for the airports will be purchased in phase 2.
“For the sake of safety, you need to have complete set of equipment...if something happens to passengers, BCAS will be responsible for it since they are the one responsible for aviation security,” Sudhakar Reddy, National President of the Air Passengers Association of India said.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/i...omb-detection-squads-audit-finds-2545323.html
Only the security forces at the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Cochin and Hyderabad are equipped to defuse and dispose off explosives, a Hindustan Times report said, quoting the audit report that it reviewed.
An operation bomb defuser squad requires 28 pieces of equipment including explosive vapour detectors, bomb disposal suits, and remote-operated vehicles. All the required pieces of equipment are available only at the six airports named above.
“Even if one equipment is not available, the squad cannot be made functional. We have written to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and civil aviation ministry, asking them to provide this crucial equipment at the earliest,” a CISF officer told the paper requesting anonymity.
CISF is responsible for security at 59 of India’s 98 operational airports.
The absence of bomb disposal squads at airports poses a potential risk to aviation security as well as the passengers. In case a suspected explosive is found, the CISF has to summon a bomb disposal team from the nearest police station, delaying the security response, an aviation security expert told the paper.
“The report is self-explanatory and there is no doubt that Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) is essential for airport security,” Arvind Ranjan, a former director general of the CISF, told the paper.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BAIL) has only 24 of the 28 required pieces of equipment specified by the BCAS, the audit report said.
Responding to the audit report, BAIL stated that requirement of three of the four pieces of equipment are under deliberation with the government and the fourth item entails a long lead time, which will be procured shortly.
“BIAL is firmly committed to comply with all security regulations and has consistently provided the latest and best equipment and facilities to the security forces at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. BIAL constantly engages with the CISF and other security agencies to ensure the safety and security of our passengers.”
Even the airports operated by AAI lack some of the bomb diffusing equipments such as such as explosive vapour detectors and remote-operated vehicles.
“AAI has also procured 18-21 bomb detection and disposal squad equipment for 13 AAI airports. However, detection equipment-- vapour detector--has not been procured, due to which we are unable to operationalise the squad. In 59 airports, we require 1,652 equipments but only 423 are available,” the CISF officer told the paper.
A spokesperson for AAI said explosive vapour detectors will be procured by September 2018 for installation at 18 airports operated by it.
“In the first phase, we have provided equipment at 18 AAI airports…we have provided 12 of the 13 crucial equipment, which BCAS has described as priority one. We have procured bomb suits but the detector, which is the 13th equipment, will be made available by September 2018,” an AAI official told the paper on condition of anonymity.
Mini remotely operated vehicles, which are used to dispose off explosives, are also being procured for 18 airports in phase one of the procurement, the AAI said, adding that the remaining equipment for the airports will be purchased in phase 2.
“For the sake of safety, you need to have complete set of equipment...if something happens to passengers, BCAS will be responsible for it since they are the one responsible for aviation security,” Sudhakar Reddy, National President of the Air Passengers Association of India said.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/i...omb-detection-squads-audit-finds-2545323.html
