Kolkata airport gets MCP vehicle to handle emergency situations well

A Mobile Command Post(MCP)

vehicle, fitted with specialised equipment, has been commissioned by the Kolkata airport to handle emergency situations in a more efficient manner.

The customised vehicle was commissioned on April 30 as part of the Airports Authority of India's efforts for better coordination during exigencies, the N S C Bose International Airport said in a statement on Tuesday.

The MCP, that cost Rs 45.36 lakh, can serve as an on- scene command, coordination and communication centre for airport emergencies where heads of the coordinating agencies can assemble to receive and disseminate information and make quick decisions, the statement said.

"MCP serves as a point where liaison officers of the various cooperating agencies assemble to plan and coordinate the rescue operations, and can be used for establishing staging area for all ground service equipment such as tow tractors, and coaches," it said.

Eight people can hold a round-table conference or make presentations on a digital board inside the vehicle.

In case of any mishap, it can be used to establish an assembly area for uninjured survivors, provide assistance required by doctors at the triage area, and arrange speedy evacuation of the injured to hospitals.

The Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Services is responsible for the deployment of MCP as quickly as possible "at a distance of not less than 90m upwind from the aircraft accident site," the statement said.

The commissioning of the state-of-the-art facility assumes significance in the wake of the Air Indian Express plane crash at Karipur airport on August 7.