Two new gates of the airport that are adjacent to the Western Express Highway are unmanned, which is being viewed as a serious threat by local leaders and social workers, who say that it is an open invitation for extremist groups to carry out a repeat of the Pathankot incident. The CISF does not have jurisdiction in the area.
Ex-MLA of Vile Parle Krishna Hedge on Friday sent a message to the managing director of Mumbai airport G.V. Sanjay Reddy about this lapse. “These gates in front of the Western Express Highway are unmanned and there are chances that anyone with an ill intention can make an intrusion. When there are already several security threats to the airport, there should be a proper deployment of security guards at all its entry and exit points.”
According to airport sources, the gates have been recently constructed. A private security guard of the Mumbai airport authority usually sits behind one gate, but no one has been deployed to keep the other one secure. While the city airport has been on high alert since the Pathankot attack, the Delhi control room last Tuesday received a hijack threat call for the Mumbai-Delhi route.
When The Asian Age paid a visit to these gates, a few labourers were noticed sitting on the premises with the gate open. Speaking about the gates’ purpose, a Mumbai airport source said, “If anything happens on the runway, medical aid will go inside via this gate. Also, VIPs can enter from these gates and the airport authority can commence cargo section work here soon.”
When approached, a senior official from Mumbai airport authorities said, “Some construction work is going on the premises of these gates and due to security reasons we can’t comment about the type of construction work.
However, as far as the safety and security of airport is concerned we are fully determined and 10-15 private guards have been deployed there as the CISF does not have jurisdiction in that area. The private guards are taking care of the security.”
