'No proposal to restrict airport entry passes for MPs' staff'

New Delhi, April 28: The government on Thursday,April 28 said there is no proposal to restrict issuing airport entry passes to the staff of Parliamentarians and ministers.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma responded in the negative when asked whether Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) proposes to restrict the issue of airport entry passes to the staff of members of Parliament and ministers.

Earlier this month, the Civil Aviation Ministry had said it was looking to rationalise the system for issuing airport entry passes. "We are looking to rationalise the system for issuing the passes. The idea is to ensure the passes do not become a major security issue," Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey had said.

He also said the government plans to increase the number of passes to certain class of people such as officials and might reduce number of passes to certain other categories. Meanwhile, in a separate written reply, Sharma said no direction has been given by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to restrict night flying at airports.

Sharma, who is the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, was responding to a query on whether the tribunal has directed the government to file a report on noise level standards for airport zones and to restrict night flying at airports.

He said as per the direction of NGT, a status report on aircraft noise standards for airports including Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital was filed in March 2016. "No direction has been given to restrict night flying at airports.

However, NGT has directed to submit a synopsis on restrictions on night flying before the next date of hearing on April 29, 2016," he noted. Aviation regulator DGCA has issued civil aviation requirements (CAR) in order to manage the noise generated from aircraft operations inside and in the vicinity of all airports as well as reduce its adverse impact on human beings and the environment.

PTI