AAI to procure full-body scanners for 63 airports

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 19

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to procure 198 body scanners for 63 of over 100 airports run by it. These will replace the existing door frame metal detectors and hand-held scanners, besides pat-down searches of passengers to detect metallic objects, officials say.

Officials in the AAI said even as the process to procure the device started well before the Covid outbreak, it had now been sped up, as physical scanning of passengers to detect metallic objects had been minimised to avoid infection.

They said the tender to procure 198 body scanners for 63 airports had been issued and three companies had put in their technical bids. “Once they pass the technical criteria, they will be asked for financial bids and the lowest bidder will be awarded the contract,” they added.

“Passengers will have to remove their jackets, thick clothing, shoes, belts as well as all metallic items before entering into the body scanner of an airport. A mannequin-like image will be generated by the machine and if there is a yellow spot on the screen, it will mean that the area on the body may need further screening. Once the body scanners are installed at the airports, pat-down searches will not be required for passengers,” the officials said.