“It has come to the notice of BCAS that at some airports, the embedded hologram on Bio-metric Aerodrome Entry Permit (BAEP) was not as per the approved design. Immediately, directions were issued to the concerned airport operators to withdraw such BAEPs and issue fresh ones with approved hologram vide BCAS letter dated 02.01.2023,” a senior official in the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Friday.
Further, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has been directed to conduct an inquiry into the matter and take appropriate action against those responsible, added the official.
Officials said that the maps of Jammu and Kashmir, the northeastern region, Rajasthan and Gujarat were wrongly depicted in the passes issued at all AAI-operated airports and six Adani group-run airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and Mangaluru.
The sources claimed that BCAS in a communication to AAI said that the embedded hologram roll used was not according to the sample hologram approved by the BCAS.
The letter said that keeping in view the seriousness of the issue, it is hereby directed that all Aerodrome Entry Permits (AEPs) issued with holograms shall be withdrawn and further printing with these hologram roll shall be stopped with immediate effect.
The aviation security authority also conveyed that the AAI will conduct an inquiry in the matter, and find out at which level the lapses occurred, who all are responsible for procuring these hologram rolls, and take appropriate action against the responsible officers.
Besides, AAI has also been directed to submit an action taken report on the matter to the BCAS at the earliest.
