Chennai airport may fly into trouble over security audit

By Sana Shakil  |   Published: 28th January 2018 09:28 AM  |  

Chennai airport.

NEW DELHI: With less than two months left for a security audit by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at Chennai International Airport, the country’s aviation authorities are on tenterhooks.

An internal audit carried out by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has found that many practices followed at the airport are not in tune with international norms.

Sources said problem areas are security equipment, improper barricading of the airport periphery, cargo safety and documentation of records.

The audit by ICAO assumes significance as the country’s entire security aviation system will get a score based on the performance of Chennai airport, which has been chosen as the sample airport. The security audit’s score will determine India’s expansion plans in the aviation sector globally.

The last on-sight audit of Indian aviation security systems was done by ICAO in February 2011 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, which scored 89 per cent.

The ICAO audit of Chennai Airport in March will find out how internationally prescribed norms are being followed based on instructions issued by the BCAS. It has submitted a comprehensive report on the internal audit to the state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI), the airport operator of Chennai Airport, one of the busiest airport in the country. BCAS has asked AAI to comply with norms and implement its recommendations before the international audit team reaches India. The Sunday Standard has learnt that the internal audit found out that security arrangement at the airport periphery is not of high level; it is not properly barricaded, indicating chances of trespassing.

The report on the internal audit also raises concerns about equipment used for security clearance of baggage at the airport. BCAS has also raised concerns about cargo safety at the Air Cargo complex at the airport. A shocking finding is about subletting of a portion of the “cargo area” to an airline. Sources said this is a major security concern as the space allotted for cargo operations is meant exclusively for regulated cargo agents, who have direct access to aircraft.

For the security audit of India’s aviation system, the ICAO team will also look into areas such as legislative and regulatory architecture, performance of security personnel and security training etc. ICAO carries out periodic audits of member countries and assesses their implementation of norms of security and safety measures in handling all areas of civil aviation security and safety.

In 2012, the ICAO had placed India in its list of 13 worst-performing nations in terms of air safety. In 2014, US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, had also downgraded India’s ranking. Though the ratings were restored after 15 months, Indian carriers were not allowed new routes to the US or sign agreements with US airlines during this period.