GUWAHATI, Jan 17 - With the Republic Day around the corner, the police and security forces have started taking a series of initiatives to augment the security measures of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport and other airports of the State to prevent any militant attack. The measures include deployment of additional forces and restricting the entry of visitors to the airport terminal.
The Special Director General of Police, Law and Order, Kula Saikia yesterday chaired a high-level meeting to review airport security. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Assam Police, including the city police Commissioner and officers of the Airports Authority of India, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airlines.
Though there is no specific input about the possibility of militant attacks on airports in the State, the police and security forces are not taking any chance in view of the recent attacks on airports in different parts of the world and the new security measures will be in place at least up to January 31.
The Airports Authority of India officials have been sensitised to keep a close watch on the movement of microlight aircraft or drones in the periphery of the LGB Airport as such a possibility cannot be ruled out. Entry of visitors to the airport terminal will be restricted up to January 31 and the CISF personnel would go for a second layer checking of the passengers before they board the aircraft. The personnel manning the tea stalls and other stalls inside the airport will be checked and if required, the Assam Police personnel would recheck their antecedents.
Strict action will be taken on anyone indulging in illegal parking near the airport and additional forces will be deployed in all the entry and exit points to the airport to ensure that all the vehicles are properly checked. Additional police personnel will be deployed in the private vehicle and taxi parking places so that a vigil can be maintained on all the vehicles.
Though security of the terminal building is the responsibility of the CISF, the personnel of the force will work in close coordination with the Assam Police men and the parameter patrolling is being intensified. It has been decided that senior police officers of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioner will be visiting the airport to review the security arrangements on regular basis, while special drills have been organised to sensitise all the personnel on duty to guard the airport.
Meanwhile, Saikia, when contacted, said that there have been incidents of attacks on airports in different parts of the world, including several cases of ultras ramming into the terminal buildings with heavy vehicles. �Under the circumstances, we are not taking any chances. Similar steps have also been taken on all the other airports of the State,� he added.
