Post-Ahmedabad crash, agencies set to revamp airport security, improve aviation experience

The authorities are working to modernise the country’s aviation security framework to tighten surveillance and improve flyers’ experience. The planned initiatives include biometric entry passes, artificial intelligence-based threat prediction and digitised grievance redressal mechanism.

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The ambitious blueprint, which comes following the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, has emerged from an inter-agency initiative that brought together India’s top aviation and security stakeholders under one roof on June 27 at the CISF Airport Sector Headquarters in New Delhi.

Chaired by senior CISF officers, the meeting focused on refining security protocols while ensuring that travellers face minimal disruption. Officials stressed the importance of seamless coordination, intelligence-led interventions and the mindful use of technology.

A senior CISF official had told The Tribune that biometric Airport Entry Passes (AEPs) integrated with facial recognition; CCTVs; Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR); and FASTag-based systems to fast-track access and monitor vehicles were among the key initiatives on the cards.

“We also discussed deploying artificial intelligence to anticipate threats based on real-time data,” said the official.

The agencies have highlighted the need for unifying training across airport stakeholders from CISF personnel to airline staff. In light of the exponential rise in air traffic, the agencies are also planning to expand Aviation Security Training Institutes (ASTIs) to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

The official further said although security for high-profile individuals remained a priority, there was a need for “layered protection” strategies that do not slow down the movement of regular passengers. “Advanced anti-drone measures and insider threat detection are also in the works,” added the officer.