Noida airport: Foreign CEO violates norms, flags BCAS

THE CEO IS YET TO RECEIVE SECURITY CLEARANCE FROM THE UNION HOME MINISTRY OR BE VETTED BY BCAS— BOTH OF WHICH ARE MANDATORY

- Neha LM Tripathi

The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Noida International Airport is a foreign national and this falls afoul of aviation security norms for greenfield airports, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has flagged at a high-level meeting that included the minister of civil aviation, multiple officials close to the matter said on Monday.

The CEO, as well as the chief operating officer (COO), is yet to receive the security clearance from the Union home ministry or be vetted by BCAS, the security arm of the civil aviation ministry. Both steps are mandatory for airport executives and this issue is one of the factors behind the long delay at the yet-to-be-fully-operational airport, which has already missed at least three deadlines.

The MHA clearance broadly approves an individual for access to sensitive roles and BCAS vetting specifically ensures compliance with aviation security norms and operational requirements under the established aviation security (Avsec) rules. CAS Avsec order dated January 17, 2011, prohibits non-Indians from becoming CEOs of greenfield airports.