Facial recognition, CCTV feed to be integrated for security checks at airports

New Delhi: Airport security and administration authorities are mulling integration of facial recognition technology and CCTV for staffers apart from deploying other technology tools for faster security checks and reducing queues at these facilities.

These measures along with synchronising automatic number plate recognition and FASTag for vehicles was discussed during a “functional workshop of airport sector” organised by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Delhi on June 27.

The CISF is the national civil aviation security force and it has 69 airports of the country under its cover at present.

Officials from the ministry of civil aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Airport Authority of India (AAI), Bureau of Immigration (BOI), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Special Protection Group (SPG), National Security Guard (SPG), Delhi Police, Air India Express and Indigo airlines apart form chief security officers of 69 civil airports guarded by the CISF attended the day-long event, a force spokesperson said.

“This workshop focused on making airport security not just stronger, but also more efficient and passenger-friendly,” he said.

The spokesperson said discussions revolved around integrating facial recognition with airport entry passes (biometric) and CCTVs, along with automatic number plate recognition and FASTag integration for vehicles.

“This means potentially faster entry into the airport and quicker processing at security checkpoints, reducing queues and wait times.

Digitised standard operating procedures (SOPs) will also lead to smarter and quicker responses to any security concerns,” he said.

Airport entry passes are essentially issued by the BCAS to a variety of staffers who work in the airport and the CISF is mandated to check their IDs upon entry and exit. Officials said integrating the airport entry passes with facial recognition system will reduce queues at a number of airports where staffers and passengers use the same gate for entry leading to confrontation sometimes as travellers question the delay in granting them entry into the facility for catching a flight.

The agencies, during the workshop, also discussed measures to have a “unified” training for all airport staff, from security personnel to airline crew, so that a consistent and professional experience is followed.

Joint exercises and regular reviews of security procedures ensure everyone is on the same page, leading to a more efficient and less confusing process for passengers, regardless of the airport, the spokesperson said.

He said the agencies discussed a plan to open more aviation security training institutes in smaller cities which can prepare for the growing demand in air travel, ensuring consistent security standards nationwide.

Protocols and procedure for enhanced VIP security at airports was also discussed including tools like advanced anti-drone strategies and robot “insider threat” checks.

“The concept of layered protection will ensure that high-profile individuals can travel with the utmost safety, while striving to minimize any impact on general airport operations,” the spokesperson said.

The agencies also reviewed passenger grievance redressal mechanism underlining that customer expectations should be “balanced” without comprising security.

The stakeholders in civil aviation sector of the country also discussed integration of artificial intelligence in data analysis in order to anticipate security risks before they occur so that smarter security checks are done without jeopardising safety measures at airports, the spokesperson said.