HYDERABAD: Domestic passengers with just hand baggage weighing less than 25 kg can now use the 10 kiosks to get their boarding pass and directly walk in for security clearance. Central Industrial Security Force director-general OP Singh launched the service for domestic flyers on Friday. The service will be extended for international passengers in course of time.
“The decision to introduce the service was taken after a survey which found that over 40 per cent of our passengers were doing online check-in and walking in with single baggage,” said SGK Kishore, chief executive officer of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL). The airport handled 15.24 million passengers in 2016-17, registering a growth of approximately 22 per cent in passenger traffic, he added.
“Stamping of air baggage bags is exempted at 13 airports in the country. It will be extended to 19 airports by the end of the year. In 2016, the CISF handled 13 crore passengers at airports in the country. Airlines have been increasing capacity without taking into account the security infrastructure and manpower. That is why CISF faces considerable security challenges,” Singh said.“The CISF, with only 1,800 personnel across the country, faces staff storage. At present, we are training 20,000 personnel. Once their training is over, we will be able to cater to the rising security demands of the airports,” he added.
“With the passenger count increasing at airports in the country, the CISF plans to reduce its dependence on manpower and use technology for better surveillance. Facilities such as the express security check will help the security force do a better surveillance job,” Singh said.