Bengaluru International Airport cops may get a station soon

The construction of Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) police station is likely to commence soon.

The airport police are currently lodged at a small room in the Devanahalli police station, about five kilometres away from the airport.

Though a senior police officer said the station would come up on an acre close to the airport, the BIAL claimed that only 240 square metre plot was allotted to the police station.

“A proposal was sent by the government and they (the BIAL) have now agreed to construct a normal capacity police station on an acre near the terminal building, with a budget of Rs2 crore,” deputy commissioner of police (north-east) Ravikanthe Gowda said.

The airport has a 40-man strong police force. Currently the airport police run an outpost at the BIAL.

“If we arrest someone, he has to be taken to the Devanahalli police station, which is shared with the traffic police too. Also, we have to wait for a police vehicle to arrive so that the arrested person could be taken to the station,” a police officer at the BIAL said on the condition of anonymity.

A BIAL spokesperson said the police station would be constructed at a site located east of the administration block and the ATC tower. She added that station would be strategically and centrally located. The design of the building has been finalised and the construction would commence shortly.

The official said that the police have been accommodated at three locations in the passenger terminal and the airline office building.

Passengers, who wish to lodge a complaint, could do so at the existing customer interface cabin on the arrival terminal building.

The spokesperson added that adequate signage have been provided at the airport to guide passengers to this interface counter.

The spokesperson was unable to explain the delay in the construction of the station, even two years after the airport was opened. She was even unaware of the cost of the project.

It was earlier reported that the state government would allocate Rs3 crore for the construction of the police station, with the BIAL contributing Rs2 crore.

Even as the police have been meted out a step-motherly treatment, the CRPF have a command office at the airport.

As many as 250 members of the paramilitary force would be on duty every day at the airport.