The Bureau of Civil Aviation Securtiy (BCAS) is contemplating tighter security check norms at airports, beginning with the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. If shoes, clothing items or other accessories containing metal set off an alarm, the security screener would insist on further checks, including patdown frisking.

The BCAS has said that necessary technology, such as sophisticated door-frame metal detectors would be in place which would allow passengers not having any metal on their person to pass through without a pat-down.

Currently, its takes around two to three minutes for the Central Industrial Security Force’s (CISF) personnel to clear a person during the security check but with implementation of the new proposal, this is likely to increase to 5-7 minutes, an airline official said.

BCAS had recently carried out a trial run of the system at Terminal 1D to access the problems that may crop up when the system is put in place, but the official sources said the response was not good as proper infrastructure was lacking.

In the US and Europe, passengers are required to take off their shoes, belts, all metallic objects, mobile phones and other electronic items in a separate tray before passing through the metal detectors.

Similarly, the passengers in New Delhi would soon have to put all their belongings and cabin baggage in a tray along with the footwear when they pass through the metal detector.