All passes issued to employees and visitors of airports across the country have been withdrawn by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) after it was found that a "distorted" map of India was printed on them, officials said.
Map images of Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern region, Rajasthan and Gujarat were wrongly depicted in the passes issued at all Airports Authority of India operated airports and six Adani group-run airports -- Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and Mangaluru.
After it was found that the images were "distorted", the BCAS has withdrawn the passes, an official privy to the development said.
In a communication to the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the BCAS said the embedded hologram roll being used is not according to the sample hologram approved by the BCAS.
"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seriousness of the issue, it is hereby directed that all Aerodrome Entry Permits (AEPs) issued with holograms shall be withdrawn and further printing with these hologram roll shall be stopped with immediate effect," the letter said.
The BCAS also conveyed that the AAI will conduct an inquiry in the matter, find out at which level the lapses occurred, who is responsible for procuring these hologram rolls and take appropriate action against the responsible officers.
The AAI has been directed to submit an action taken report on the issue to the BCAS at the earliest, it said.
A person, who is not a passenger with a valid ticket, requires an AEP that is issued by the airport.
The AEP application form, which is issued by the BCAS, mentions 13 zones that a person can enter. The permitted areas include the arrival halls, the departure halls, the terminal building, the apron area, the security hold area, cargo terminal among others.
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