The regulatory body for aviation security in the country recently wrote to this effect to the Home Ministry and Nepal Police Headquarters as it is compelled to ´compromise´ with airport security due to lack of a permanent security wing that looks after airport security across the country.
Lok Nath Gautam, who heads the Civil Aviation Security Division at CAAN, said they have sent a proposal to the Home Ministry and Nepal Police Headquarters to develop a separate Aviation Security Wing. “We have received a positive response from them,” he added.
Nepal Police spokesperson Binod Singh said that they have already started homework to form such a security wing as requested by CAAN. “We are mulling the development of a specialized security wing for aviation safety,” Singh told myrepublica.com. “However, this involves an additional budget and personnel.”
Gautam said that the request to the Home Ministry has been made as they are compelled to provide aviation security training including handling of x-ray machines and other equipment at airports to a whole new team of security personnel every year. “We have demanded a specialized police wing, just as the traffic police is in place under the Nepal Police, to ensure that skilled security personnel are deployed at the airports,” he said.
Officials at CAAN said police personnel are deputed at the airports after receiving comprehensive aviation security training at the Civil Aviation Academy under CAAN. Normally, police personnel deputed at airports are transferred after serving for a one-year period. CAAN officials said that frequent transfer of security officers from the airports has meant an extra burden while arranging necessary safety at airports.
There are about 1,000 police personnel deputed at the 36 airports in the country. Over 300 police personnel are deployed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu.
CAAN officials believe that they will be able to provide effective security once a permanent wing for aviation security is developed. “It is obvious that security personnel serving for a long period will garner additional expertise in ensuring aviation security,” added Gautam.
The CAAN request comes in the wake of foreign airlines demanding permission to ´second-screen´ passengers at the country´s only international airport, sensing some security loopholes.
While Air India has already acquired permission from the government to operate its own security check at the TIA tarmac, another Indian airline, Jet Airways, is seeking similar privilege from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
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