Post news network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 27: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel guarding Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) Monday conducted a mock drill at the domestic terminal T1 to ensure they remain prepared for any eventuality.
The mock drill was also conducted to check counter-terrorism contingency plan (CTCP) of the airport.
Taking a serious note of the threat to Air India’s office at Kolkata, the CISF top brass conducted the mock drill. Notably, the airport area turned into a fortress in view of the Republic Day threat and all vehicles were prohibited from entering lane No.1 till January 31.
The drill was carried out for an hour in which 40 security personnel of quick reaction team (QRT) of the central agency participated in presence of airports authority of India (AAI) officials.
“The main objective of the drill was not only to rehearse but identify loopholes in the security system in case of a terror attack on the sensitive establishment,” said a senior official.
Sources said the drill was organised into four parts — silent drill, 5BX (physical training), stripping and assembly of weapons and sniffer dog demonstration.
Security personnel stripped and assembled weapons such as SLR (self-loaded rifle), INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifle, AK-47 and 9mm pistol blindfolded during the drill.
Moreover, a physical training drill was also conducted to check agility of the personnel deployed at the airport.
The city airport has passenger influx of around 5,000 per day (both arrival and departure) while 19 daily scheduled flights operate from here to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam, Bangalore and Port Blair.