Govt plans to amend aircraft security rules

The Civil Aviation Ministry plans to allow aircraft operators to deploy employees of aerodrome operators and domestic airlines for security duties.

The proposal is part of amendments mooted for aircraft security rules and it also comes at a time when the passenger numbers are on the rise.

India is one of the fastest domestic aviation markets in the world, registering double-digit growth for more than three years.

According to the draft Aircraft Security Amendment Rules, a domestic aircraft operator can carry out search of his plane or of other airlines provided the operator has a contract for security service with the entity concerned.

The security search can be done before taking the aircraft to security restricted area and before boarding of passengers after disembarkation.

Further, the ministry has suggested that an aircraft operator shall engage only those personnel for security duties who are "whole time direct employees of aerodrome operator and domestic airlines operator" with whom there is a contract in place for security services.

Such people should have been employed after proper training, selection procedure and certification in accordance with national civil aviation security programme.

'Security' refers to a means a combination of measures, human and material resources intended to be used to safeguard civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference, as per the ministry.

Another amendment proposed relates to aerodrome perimeter.

"Every aerodrome operator shall provide perimeter wall or other structures as prescribed by ICAO from time to time around the aerodrome," the draft norms said.

This requirement would also be subject to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) ordering any changes to the specification of the perimeter wall or other structures.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is the UN aviation watchdog.

Under the current rules, every aerodrome operator shall construct a perimeter wall of the height of 2.438 metre (8 feet) with overhung fence of 0.457 metre (1.5 feet) around the aerodrome.

The draft norms have been put up for public consultations.