Officials have stepped up measures to ensure passengers at the airport wear masks compulsorily inside the terminal. A special team was formed recently to go around the terminal and insist that passengers keep their masks on at all times.
A few days ago, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued a circular stating that airports must enhance surveillance and that they have been considering even levying fines on passengers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The circular stated: “During the surveillance of some airports, it has come to our notice that compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols is not satisfactory. All airport operators, therefore, are requested to ensure that the instructions from the standpoint of wearing masks properly, covering the nose and mouth, as well as maintaining social distancing norms on the airport premises are followed scrupulously.”
Recently, DGCA authorities also conducted an inspection to see if passengers were wearing masks.
Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said when passengers entered the terminal, the CISF personnel allowed them inside only if they were wearing masks. “But during check-in or when they get seated in the security hold area, many of them remove the masks but now with the new team in place the compliance is better. We are constantly pushing passengers to wear masks,” an official said.
Sources said physical distancing was still not followed in the airport and there was crowding in some places.
