New Delhi Exclusive—Amidst some new threats as this is written, conditions although calm, remain somewhat dazed and confused as India recovers and security agencies get a grip after that horrible Mumbai massacre by terrorist attacks that shook India and the world, leaving more than 200 dead and a large number grievously injured.
     Now a week after the attacks the security scenario seems to be improving.
     While there have been lapses on the part of intelligence agencies, the
police on the streets have become more vigilant with public places
like malls, airports, railway stations and markets under close scrutiny.
     Every airport in the country has been put under 'red alert' as high-security zones.
     In the case of Mumbai, the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport,
which saw a few flights taking off and landing during the three-day
siege, is apparently ready for any kind of terror strike, according to
the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the outfit charged with handling security at all airports around the country.
     “A red alert has been sounded,” Digvijay Singh, commandant, Central Industrial Security Force,(pictured here) in charge of security at the Bengaluru International Airport told reporters.
     “This is due to some intelligence inputs suggesting there will be attacks on the airport.”
     In addition to the stationing of the elite National Security Guard (NSG), the CISF and those manning the security at airports have brought in a slew of security measures that the bosses in the Delhi headquarters of the outfit are unwilling to enumerate to this reporter.
     While a “take our word for it” bravado seems less than reassuring after what has just happened, other security experts say that among enhanced counter terrorism measures are regular patrols by plain-clothes security personnel at the airport and a number of checks on the airport road with each vehicle entering or going in or out of the airport premises being thoroughly screened.
     From what we saw on Thursday December 4, police personnel here are spot-checking everyone.
     Any suspicion results in a complete check of the person's baggage before entry is allowed.
     Security agencies in India have increased anti-sabotage units at airports and extra policemen have been deployed.
     Commandos armed with AK-47 rifles are in evidence at India’s major airports as well.
     In-airport security measures include frisking of passengers and searching of cars.
     The dog and bomb squads have also been put on stand-by along with the anti-hijack and anti-sabotage teams.
     A new measure that has been introduced is the random check of passports.
     Similar measures have also been undertaken at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport as well as other metro airports in the country.
     At the height of the Mumbai attacks, Air Cargo News FlyingTypers was at Delhi airport at around 11 at night and it seemed impregnable.
     Visitors who had come to receive passengers arriving on international flights were barred from entering the arrival lounge.
     As a result there were hordes of people on the porch facing the city-side. Inside, there were three or four layers of security that one had to go through.
     The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, which is the organization responsible for planning security arrangements for airports and air traffic, has as the result of the Mumbai disaster sent out an advisory ordering domestic air travelers to carry valid identification papers. It has also asked air carriers to increase the number of armed air marshals on board all India flag aircraft.
     Earlier, passengers were meant to report an hour earlier for flights. Now, they have been asked to report at least two hours before flights to complete security checks.
     The airports in the country – especially those in the metro cities – have been on high alert since the serial blasts in Delhi and the new security measures follow a high-level meeting chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Madhavan Nambiar.
     Among the others who attended the meeting were the Commissioner of Civil Aviation Security, the Director-General of Civil Aviation, the Inspector-General (Airports) of the CISF and personnel from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
     The heightened security measures have affected air cargo shipments but it has not dampened the spirits of air cargo carriers.
     Express providers like DHL and its local partner, Blue Dart, TNT, FedEx and UPS felt the effects of the Mumbai attack for the first 48 hours. However reportedly all deliveries to the rest of the country from these providers continued without a break.
     Cargo continued to flow from Indian airports even during the height of the terrorist attacks.
     No question that for some time as the horrible vision of those luxury hotels under siege went out to the world, people were frightened and horrified at the same time.
     But an underpinning of firm resolve to continue also took hold as the airport communities vowed to keep operating with renewed emphasis on heightened vigilance.
     In a rush of events we are mourning our losses while getting a grip on a new reality of life here.
     Change made a devastating house call on everybody in our vast land of India last week.
Tirthankar Ghosh