As the current director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation and Security (BCAS) prepares for retirement on October 31, the government has not yet named a successor, raising concerns amid a rise in hoax bomb threats targeting airlines over the past month.
Officials from BCAS emphasized the urgency of appointing a new chief, as the agency plays a crucial role in responding to these threats. Typically, the DG is a senior Indian Police Service officer, and the current head, Zulfiquar Hasan, who is set to retire, is from the 1988 batch.
The position of joint director general (JDG) has been vacant for over ten months, further complicating the situation. The last JDG, Jaideep Prasad, was reassigned to his parent cadre, leaving BCAS without a deputy. A mid-level officer noted that the remaining IPS personnel in BCAS are from junior batches, raising operational challenges.
In October alone, over 300 bomb threats were reported across various airports and security agencies, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. Nonetheless, these threats caused significant disruptions and financial losses for airlines, necessitating adherence to security protocols. Airports in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow have been placed on high alert due to these incidents.
A senior IPS officer indicated that if a new chief is not appointed by Wednesday, a serving DG from a paramilitary force may temporarily oversee BCAS. Meanwhile, BCAS and the civil aviation ministry are working on revising security protocols in response to the ongoing threats. The appointment of a new chief, likely from the 1991-1993 IPS batches, is anticipated soon as the government continues to make adjustments to its security leadership.
BCAS is tasked with establishing aviation security standards and coordinating security measures at airports, while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) implements these regulations.
