Like you know, back in December, on a trial basis, the BCAS asked that CISF should try out if without stamping the hand baggage tags would help. It turned out, it did, and the Civil Aviation regulators decided to make it a permanent feature. Accordingly, they notified that as of February 2017, the following airports would not require stamps on bags:
- Mumbai (BOM)
- Delhi (DEL)
- Cochin (COK)
- Bangalore (BLR)
- Hyderabad (HYD)
- Ahmedabad (AMD)
- Kolkata (CCU)
At that point of time, however, the stamping did not stop. Turns out the machinery to implement such a move was not ready, and the next one month was used to implement the right amount of security machinery, including security cameras to keep tab on faces along with bags. This means, at these 7 airports, from April 1, 2017, there will be no need to stamp the hand baggage after screening it.
As per this report from the Times of India:
We have got high definition cameras installed at Terminal 1 and 3 of Delhi Airport. The pre-embarkation security check area (where flyers queue up to get frisked) has got 36 and the security hold areas (where flyers are sent after frisking) have got 44 HD cameras. We have asked for interrupted power back-up support at all these seven airports. At some airports we have got revolving cameras fixed in addition to fixed cameras to minimize grey areas.
Now that the domestic and international flyers will be able to use their bags for originating from these 7 airports without stamped hand baggage tags, the CISF will explore how to implement the same at the other airports in the country. Hopefully, one by one, all these airports move away from baggage tags.
Bottomline
Finally, its done. If you fly from tomorrow onwards from these airports, your bags won’t have a botch of ink due to security stamps on them. Try this out and let me know. My next flight from an Indian airport, at the moment, is not booked for the coming week.
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