Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) today announced that the Bengaluru International Airport will become operational on Friday, May 23, 2008 following approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The airport will be formally inaugurated in the presence of the State and Central Government on a suitable date in the month of June 2008.

The switch to the new airport will take place at midnight (00:01 hours of May 23). All flights landing and departing after midnight will operate from the new airport and flights arriving before midnight (on May 22, 2008) and departing after midnight will also operate from the new airport.

In preparation for the launch of the Bengaluru International Airport, the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) has been handed over the responsibility for security. In a formal ceremony held this week, the CISF team led by Digvijay Kumar Singh, Commandant, CISF was welcomed by Albert Brunner, CEO, BIAL.  The CISF has been inducted into the new airport and 770 CISF personnel will be deployed at BIAL for airport security purposes.  This number will increase to 1039 including the land side security.

In the first phase of security coverage, CISF will exercise access control to the Terminal Building and to the airside through control of the perimeter gates. A ring of security will be laid along the perimeter including manning of all the watch towers. The security cover will further be advanced on May 20, 2008 when the CISF will apply all security norms in compliance with the regulations laid down by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The Commandant, CISF assured BIAL that they will employ security procedures in sync with ICAO so that passenger satisfaction level is at par with international airports. In the coming months, the CISF at the new airport plans to be ISO 9001:2000 certified.

The CISF provides security to critical infrastructure as well as all the major centres of economic growth in India. It also protects the national assets and highly vital and sensitive installations which are exceedingly critical from a national perspective.

Sourced From: The PRactice