States told to secure 350 airports

New Delhi: In an unprecedented exercise to secure Indian airspace, the Government has ordered that all possible security loopholes be plugged at every airport and airstrip, many of them located in remote corners and little known places across the country.
The exercise, launched in the wake of the slide in ties with Pakistan after the Mumbai Terror attacks, is intended to thwart any attempt by terrorist groups to hijack these facilities for carrying out aerial strikes.
A detailed list of 326 unmanned, abandoned or mostly unused airports and airstrips has been sent by the Civil Aviation Ministry to all state governments with the instruction that district administrations be directed to “closely monitor and regularly check all such airstrips in their respective jurisdiction”. A separate list of 32 airports, managed by the Airports Authority of India but not operational, has also been circulated.
The Centre has cautioned the states that the list is not exhaustive. “District authorities may also be directed to undertake thorough verification of all such airstrips in their jurisdiction including those not mentioned in the two lists,” states the letter sent by Civil Aviation Secretary M Madhavan Nambiar to all chief secretaries.
All state governments have been asked to submit an action taken report by the end of January.
Intelligence inputs after the Mumbai terror attacks warned of the possible use of unused airstrips by terrorist organisations, prompting a review at the “highest level” of the security set-up in airports across the country. On the table were measures to prevent any intrusion into Indian airspace and any misuse of airstrips by terrorists or subversive elements. Defence Minister A K Antony also held consultations with chiefs of all the armed forces to take stock of the preparedness to thwart possible misuse of airspace.
Many of these airports lie in strategic areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and North-Eastern states while others are located in little-known places like Iradatganj in UP, Panga in West Bengal, Nagda in Madhya Pradesh, Parsoli in Gujarat and Phaltan in Maharashtra.
Included in the list of abandoned or unused airstrips are those owned by IIT Kanpur, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Banaras Hindu University and the Sri Sathya Sai Trust of Puttaparthi.
26/12/08 Amitabh Sinha/Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008, Safety Dec 2008