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Private agencies to handle airport security

Private agencies would be allowed to handle security at certain airports if the threat assessment so permits, the draft airport policy has said, while emphasising that a ''passenger-friendly'' force was required.

''Efforts will be made to develop an airport security organisation, in order to have a quietly efficient, specialised, commercially conscious, passenger-friendly force, at the international airports to begin with,'' the policy stated.

The policy was of the opinion that airport security will be looked after by specialised police agencies, state police and airport security organisations, depending on the internal security conditions prevalent in a particular area.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security would continue to coordinate the working of the various agencies to ensure that all security norms are followed by them, it said.

There will be constant training of security personnel posted at airports in order to improve their effectiveness and passenger-friendliness.

The present training centre at BCAS headquarters will be upgraded and strengthened for this purpose, the policy said.

The draft policy also talks of a major thrust towards increasing the share of commercial revenue emerging from non-aeronautical sources. This will help in optimal exploitation of the full commercial potential of airports and make many airports not only viable but capable of generating surpluses for further expansion and development.

''Across the world, the trend is towards a very high percentage, ranging from 60 to 70 per cent of the total revenue of airport operators being generated from non-aeronautical sources at major airports''.

The draft said in India, although these service are even now being provided by private agencies, the comparable figure for Airports Authority of India was just 22 per cent.

In order to maximise the revenue while at the same time maintaining transparency, there will be a master plan for development of commercial activities and facilities, as part of the overall master plan approved by the management for the airport as a whole. The space-use patterns will not be deviated from the plan, it said.

The policy said there would be total freedom for airport operators in the matter of raising revenue through non-aeronautical charges and there will not be any government control over the same.

The draft policy said that the Airports Authority of India will set standards of performance in various areas of passenger and cargo handling so that both the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards at similar airports around the world are achieved.

For this purpose, procedures will be simplified, regulations which delay or restrict movement of traffic, amended and efforts made to reduce ground delays to the minimum.

The dwell time of passengers and cargo will be drastically reduced, thus enhancing capacity at existing airports, the draft said. The ultimate objective will be to clear incoming international passengers within 45 minutes of arrival and clear departing passengers in 60 minutes, including check-in-time. Similar targets will be laid down for domestic flights, it said.

Improvements in technology and other areas will be made by introduction of automation and computerisation, mobile check-in-centres, improvement in immigration and security checks, and mechanisation of baggage and ground handling services.

New approaches in airport design will be required to accommodate technological innovations like the new large aircraft.

Apart from the AAI and the national carriers, private agencies will also be encouraged for providing ground handling services, the draft airport policy added.

UNI