AAI has identified land says airport director
TEAM HERALD
VASCO: The new terminal at Dabolim Airport is expected to be commissioned by mid-August, but the State government is yet to set up a full-fledged police station and a Traffic Cell at the airport, a promise it had made last year.
The government had announced the setting up of a full-fledged Traffic Cell and a police station at Dabolim airport.
Through a notification dated July 7, 2012 had sanctioned one police inspector, one police sub-inspector, three assistant sub-inspectors, three head constables and nine police constables for the police station, while traffic police Inspector, two traffic police sub-inspectors, one assistant traffic police sub-inspector, five head constables and 23 police constables were allotted for the Traffic Cell at Dabolim airport.
While the police station was to provide security outside the airport, the Traffic Cell was expected to regulate traffic in and around the airport.
When asked if any provision was made for the traffic cell and a police station at the airport, Dabolim Airport Director M Suresh replied “Nowhere in the country are police stations located within the premises of the airport. The Airports Authority of India has identified land for the two police stations outside the airport and once the formalities are completed, the government will construct the police stations.”
“But till the time the infrastructure is ready, we will allot temporary space for the traffic cell and the police station to function. The traffic police will regulate the smooth flow of traffic within and outside the airport the police station will provide security at the airport from the city side/outside the airport,” the airport director said.
“As far as internal security of the airport is concerned, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will man the internal security of the airport. In addition, the customs and immigration officials will have their independent offices at the new terminal,” Suresh said.
When contacted, Traffic Cell SP Vijay Singh stated that the required police force will be deployed at the airport and in the absence of full-fledged traffic cell, the staff will initially operate from the Vasco Traffic Cell.
South Goa SP Shekar Prabhudesai offered a similar response.
“We will deploy the required police force and it will operate from the Vasco police station, till the police station near the airport is constructed,” SP Prabhudesai said.
Through a notification dated July 7, 2012 had sanctioned one police inspector, one police sub-inspector, three assistant sub-inspectors, three head constables and nine police constables for the police station, while traffic police Inspector, two traffic police sub-inspectors, one assistant traffic police sub-inspector, five head constables and 23 police constables were allotted for the Traffic Cell at Dabolim airport
