Passengers using Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) Terminal 2 (T2) can soon expect a hassle-free security screening experience. Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) is set to initiate a trial run for the Computer Tomography X-ray (CTX) machine at T2, eliminating the need for travelers to remove personal electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops from their handbags at pre-embarkation security checkpoints. This groundbreaking move, scheduled to roll out in December 2023 for domestic passengers, positions KIA as the first airport in India to conduct passenger trials for the CTX machine.

Source: Op India

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BIAL’s Chief Operating Officer, Satyaki Raghunath, announced the impending trial run, stating that it marks a significant step toward enhancing airport security and passenger convenience. The CTX machine, integrated with the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) and three full-body scanners, is aimed at providing a faster and more secure flying experience.

This cutting-edge technology not only streamlines the security process but also renders the current practice of patting down passengers obsolete after the initial screening through the walk-through metal detector. Raghunath emphasized that the CTX Proof of Concept (POC) is undergoing trial at T2, with installation and integration with ATRS lanes already in progress. Passenger trials are expected to commence shortly, offering an advanced screening process for carry-on baggage using CT and automatic explosives detection algorithms. This promises superior 3D image quality and better identification of liquid densities.

Source: Business Standard

Terminal 2, often referred to as a ‘terminal in a garden,’ was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2022, with a construction cost of approximately Rs 5,000 crore. Domestic operations at T2 commenced on January 15, 2023, while international flight operations began on September 12.

In comparison to other airports, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has conducted CTX trials but is yet to initiate passenger trials for the CTX machine integrated with ATRS and full-body scanners. A spokesperson for Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) stated that CTX trials were conducted at IGIA in Terminal 2 from February 2023 to May 2023, with feedback awaited from stakeholders. Currently lacking full-body scanners, DIAL is in the process of procuring CT and FBS machines. Similar CTX trials were conducted at Mumbai and Bengaluru airports, according to a DIAL spokesperson.

Source: Times Now

The advantages of implementing this technology, as highlighted by the DIAL spokesperson, include enhanced security screening, ease of threat article identification, smoother passenger transit, and faster security screening. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had mandated all major airports handling 50 lakh passengers to install 3D CTX machines for cabin checks by the year-end. However, many operators are likely to miss this deadline.