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Punjab CM’s staff drives vehicle to apron: Safety violation, not security breach, says Chandigarh airport mgmt
The driver reported the matter to the agency, Bird Airport Services, as only a person holding a special driving licence is entitled to drive the vehicle inside the airport amid aircraft movement
Six days after four personnel attached with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s security drove an aviation services vehicle to the apron of Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, the airport authorities have ruled out any security breach, but flagged “safety violation” with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
On August 18, a police official had ferried his senior, an official on special duty (OSD) and a personal security officer (PSO) in an aviation services vehicle to the apron area (Bay No. 13), where Mann was scheduled to depart by a chartered plane for New Delhi around 2 pm.
The driver reported the matter to the agency, Bird Airport Services, as only a person holding a special driving licence is entitled to drive the vehicle inside the airport amid aircraft movement. Later, the agency submitted a complaint to the airport authorities, flagging security breach by CM’s staff.
However, airport CEO Rakesh Ranjan Sahay said, “The four personnel were allowed inside the airport following due process and approvals. But as a complaint was received from Bird Airport Services, it has been sent to the DGCA for further proceedings.”
The matter was initially taken up with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), whose deputy inspector general Shrikant Kishore said such matters came under the purview of DGCA.
However, air safety director for DGCA, Sanit Kumar, said security concerns pertained to Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
Now, Anil Kumar, chief of security at the airport, clarified that as it was a safety violation and not a security breach, the case will be dealt with by DGCA.
Additional ADGP, CM Security, AK Pandey refused to comment on the matter.
