With airports perceived to be a major target of terrorists, the Central Industrial Security Force has decided to install imported state-of-the-art explosive detection system at all such sensitive installations across the country to tighten the security mechanism.
The premier paramilitary force, which guards 54 airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports, will put the new system in place by the end of this year as part of its efforts to upgrade the overall security paraphernalia, CISF sources said in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Automatic Explosive Detection System and Explosive Tracer detection System would be installed at all major airports while the hand-held metal detectors presently used will be replaced by ultra-sensitive ones, they said.
The force is planning to purchase the gadgetry from the US or France and the acquisition would run into crores of rupees. Airports across the country, particularly in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, have been on a high alert since the Mumbai blasts last week.
"There are serious threat perceptions about airports... We have some information that airports could also be targets (of terrorists)," Civil Aviation Secretary Ajay Prasad had said last week, three days after serial bomb blasts in Mumbai.
The Automatic Explosive Detection System will be fitted to X-ray monitors, while the Tracer Detection System will be used to check suspected baggage, the sources said.
The process of acquisition of explosive detection systems has been in the pipeline for sometime, but gathered momentum in the wake of serial blasts in Mumbai and a general alert across the country. Security at the airports has already been stepped up with deployment of more personnel after the terror attacks.
The CISF is also planning to install more X-ray machines at Delhi and Mumbai airports once repair work being carried out there by GMR and GVK-led consortiums are completed. The force feels that the existing security mechanism in Delhi and Mumbai airports is inadequate in view of a manifold increase in passenger volume after the advent of low-cost airlines.
"The security apparatus has to be fine-tuned and we are waiting for the revamp of the Delhi and Mumbai airports. Private owners are also too keen to upgrade the security system," a senior official said.