Chennai International Airport has informed travellers to arrive early amid a high-security alert. In a tweet on Wednesday, the airport said, “Early is on time!!!! Till August 31, Chennai Airport will be kept under high security alert. Our humble plea to passengers to arrive early at airport to confirm smooth transit. (sic)”
With Independence Day just over a week away and in the wake of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir being nullified, there have been heightened bag-checking procedures put in place at the airport.
Early is on time!!!! Till August 31, Chennai Airport will be kept under high security alert.Our humble plea to passengers to arrive early at airport to confirm smooth transit. @AAI_Official @CISFHQrs
— Chennai (MAA) Airport (@aaichnairport) August 7, 2019
On August 5, the Union government issued orders rendering redundant Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The President confirmed the issue of this notification on Wednesday. The government’s move came even as the Valley is under lockdown with heavy troop deployment, no landline and internet connection.
Earlier last week, the Kempegowda International Airport for Bengaluru city was put under a high-security alert ahead of Independence Day. As per media reports, frisking of passengers and luggage checking had been intensified by the Central Industrial Security Force.
According to a report in PTI, Tamil Nadu DGP JK Tripathy on Tuesday set up a five-member team comprising to put in place security measures to avert any untoward incidents in the state following the government’s Article 370 move. The Union Ministry had ordered all security forces across all the states in the country to stay on 'maximum alert'.
The team, comprising of officers in the rank of Additional Director General of Police, have been allotted different zones in the state, a release by the police said.