New Delhi: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has started the process to accept Indian BIS standards for key equipment used at airports, paving the way for the country to become aatmnirbhar (self-reliant) in this sensitive area. So far equipment used at airports — including CCTV cameras, hand held and door frame metal detectors, baggage screening and anti-drone technology — have been benchmarked with US and European regulatory standards and therefore are sourced from foreign firms.
“We are soon going to allow CCTV cameras meeting Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms to be used at airports. This will allow manufacturers here to locally make world class equipment at reasonable price for being used here. Airport operators will then not be required to procure expensive CCTVs from foreign firms,” said senior aviation officials.
In the second stage, BCAS is likely to allow hand held and door frame metal detectors, baggage screening and anti-drone technology meeting BIS norms to be used in Indian airports. Once the made-in-India airport security apparatus proves its cost-effectiveness and high quality, the same could even be bought by foreign airport operators from here.
BCAS decision comes following Prime Minister Modi’s call for becoming aatmnirbhar and make in India not just for India but rest of the world too. The aviation ministry and BCAS have been approached by CCTV manufacturers in India who say their product quality and technology is at par with foreign equipment. “But to be used at Indian airports till now, the equipment had to meet US and European norms and getting that certification is an expensive proposition for Indian manufacturers. In about a month, the BCAS is likely to allow CCTVs meeting BIS norms and then things could change very fast,” said officials.
High definition CCTVs have been a key factor in doing away with stamping of baggage tags and boarding cards. That practice was to check who screened and cleared a bag in case something went wrong. Precise CCTV coverage does that job without the need for stamping of baggage tags or boarding cards.
12/03/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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