Plans to put those who make hoax bomb threats on no-fly list: Union Aviation Minister

Minister Ram Mohan Naidu speaks about the achievements of the UDAN Scheme at the Aviation Park in Delhi, on Monday, October 21. Pic/X

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday said that his ministry is considering to amend the existing laws to deal with false bomb threats on aircraft and plans to put those who make such threats on a no-fly list.

At a press conference in Delhi, the minister stated, "We are contemplating some legislative action if deemed necessary. We have identified two areas for potential exploration: 1) amendments to the Aircraft Security Rules... One of our proposals is to ensure that once we identify the perpetrator, they will be added to the no-fly list... 2) the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act."

In the past few days, several airlines received bomb threats, with 36 flights getting threats on Sunday alone.

Speaking about the 'Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Yojana', Naidu said that the government plans to establish 50 additional airports or enhance the capacity of existing ones under this initiative.

"We envision the UDAN scheme extending for another 10 years. Over the next five years, we plan to initiate 50 more airports or increase the capacity of current ones. By 2047, we believe we can increase the number of airports from 157 today to over 200, potentially reaching 350," he said.

He further described the "UDAN Yojana" as a transformative initiative in civil aviation, inspired by Prime Minister Modi's vision to democratise air travel.

"The UDAN scheme has been a groundbreaking initiative in civil aviation, stemming from PM Narendra Modi's aspiration to make air travel accessible to all. The major beneficiaries over the past eight years have been remote areas of the country, particularly in the northeast and hinterland regions, which previously lacked connectivity. Now, these areas are well-connected not only to major metropolitan cities but also to various international destinations," he added.

Chiefs of BCAS, CISF meet Union Home Secy; discuss issue of bomb threats to airlines

Two top aviation security officers met Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Monday and discussed the incidents of bomb threats to Indian airlines, leading to diversions, cancellations and passenger inconvenience.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Director General (DG) Zulfiquar Hasan and Director General of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Rajwinder Singh Bhatti met Mohan at the latter's office at North Block in the national capital, news agency PTI reported. The three officers held a meeting for about half an hour.
Hasan and Bhatti, both senior officers belonging to the Indian Police Service, have briefed the home secretary about the incidents of bomb threats and the steps taken to counter them, sources privy to the information said.

However, details of the meeting are not known immediately.

As many as 36 flights of Indian airlines received bomb threats on Sunday.

The developments came a day after more than 30 flights of various Indian carriers received bomb threats. This week, nearly 100 flights received threats, sending security agencies into a tizzy. The threats later turned out to be hoaxes.

BCAS lays down standards and measures in respect of security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India while remaining sensitive to the globally evolving aviation security scenario.

(With ANI and PTI inputs)