Jayant Sinha said that there is a need for unified command across all airports, use of more technologies such as Digi Yatra, AI as well as cost-effectiveness of the security solutions.

In the coming years, all airports across the country are likely to witness security and technology upgradation. Recently, the government announced that it is planning investments for the next 15 years, which are required for security as well as technology upgradation for the expected one billion air trips from 200 airports across the country by the year 2035. A TOI report quoted junior minister of civil aviation Jayant Sinha saying that there is a need for unified command across all airports, use of more technologies such as Digi Yatra, AI as well as cost-effectiveness of the security solutions. The minister said this while addressing the aviation security experts of 18 countries at International Aviation Security seminar.

According to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which organized the two-day seminar, it is examining the use of latest 3D CT scanning technology that will save air passengers from the hassle of taking out their laptops as well as other electronic gadgets from their handbags at airports. At present, the technology is being tested at airports of Amsterdam and London and the CISF is planning to bring it to India, the report stated.

So far, no Indian civil airport has been provided with 3D CT scanners. Therefore, the screening of cabin bags of air passengers is done using x-ray scanning machines. DG CISF Rajesh Ranjan was quoted in the report stating that last month, they were exploring the use of 3D CT scanners.

Meanwhile, the government has zeroed in on facial recognition system, which will be used as biometric identification for passengers to provide paperless entry into airports for domestic flights. Initially, it will start at the PPP metro airports namely, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports and in the next five to six months, the system will be implemented at the four, run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) – Varanasi, Vijayawada, Kolkata and Pune airports.