NEW DELHI, Oct 1: Eight airports in the country will be fitted with full-body scanners – approval has been given for Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Ahmedabad airports.
Modifications, however, are being made to the full-body scanner algorithms keeping in mind the Indian sensitivities, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
Indian security agencies have been trying to introduce full body scanners as used abroad for over two decades. Certain pilot projects, however, indicated that the passengers are not very comfortable with the idea.
This is part of a whole gamut of changes being adopted by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security — the national regulatory authority for civil aviation safety. The advanced scanners have already reached three of the eight selected airports, while installation at the remaining five airports is expected to be completed shortly, the ministry said.
The government is currently collecting and analysing data from the machines to fine-tune the screening process and minimise errors before they are deployed. The ministry has also sought to address concerns over passenger privacy, saying the new scanners will be “picture-agnostic.”
Instead of displaying an actual image of a passenger’s body, the system will generate a generic 3D representation. This is intended to ensure that a passenger’s identity and physical features are not revealed during security screening. The scanners will flag only suspected objects that may be concealed on or worn by a passenger, officials said.
The technology is also being configured to account for clothing commonly worn by Indian passengers. Special algorithms are being developed and integrated into the scanners to help distinguish between clothing and potentially suspicious objects. The government is analysing data from the systems as part of efforts to ensure that the technology can provide effective security screening without compromising passenger privacy.
Work is also in progress to install the Computed Tomography X-ray (CTX) machines perform 3D scanning of airport baggage and assist in detecting explosives. Technical standards for these machines are being finalised following consultations with experts and the industry.
(Manas Dasgupta)