123 Kolkata: Airlines have requested passengers to arrive earlier than usual due to enhanced security measures. Due to heightened security protocols during Republic Day, including thorough frisking and additional hand baggage checks at boarding points, domestic travellers should arrive three hours before departure, whilst international passengers need to arrive four hours earlier.
Security staff are conducting comprehensive checks, requiring passengers to remove shoes and belts for scanning alongside cabin luggage. Additional security checks and manual bag inspections are being conducted at boarding gates.
Vehicles entering airport premises are under scrutiny, and hawking activities have been banned completely. Since Friday, the airport has implemented enhanced security protocols ahead of Republic Day, including restrictions on visitor entry to terminals.
Security measures were enhanced on Friday with additional CISF personnel deployment, including two quick response teams (QRT), bomb disposal units and sniffer dogs. The advisory for arrival times remains consistent: three hours prior for domestic flights and four hours for international departures.
Kolkata Airport authorities confirmed operating under heightened security measures, with staff monitoring for abandoned bags in the lobby area. Personnel have been instructed to alert security about any suspicious passenger behaviour.
The increased vigilance follows recent incidents involving Bangladeshi nationals using counterfeit Indian identification. Given the political instability in the neighbouring country, security measures across the state have been strengthened for the Republic Day celebrations.
For the Independence Day parade on Red Road, authorities will deploy 2,300 police officers. The area will be sectioned into four security zones, with 11 watchtowers established.
BSF has implemented an ‘Operations Alert' at all border outposts along the Bangladesh frontier, effective till Jan 31.