NEW DELHI, May 16: The Ministry of Civil Aviation's demand to allow Pawan Hans to operate chartered flights from Safdarjang Airport has raised the hackles of the Special Protection Group (SGP). The security agency has now raised its concerns before the Air Force.After receiving Secretary, Civil Aviation, P V Jayakrishnan's letter (dated April 25, 1999), SPG Director M R Reddy is learnt to have written to the IAF on May 10, asking whether it would have sufficient time to respond if an ``aerial attack'' was launched on the Prime Minister's official residence - 7, Race Course Road - in the event of security restrictions being lifted. The SPG is learnt to have asked the IAF to take the final decision on whether chartered flights should be allowed to originate from the airport or not.In late 1984, when 7, Race Course Road was declared the PM's official residence, the Air Force had imposed some flying restrictions in the zone. The airport is often used by the PM to board helicopters. Visitors to the airport were required to have security (IB-Delhi Police) clearance and no flights were allowed a certain number of hours before a PM's flight.In his letter, Jayakrishnan had asked the SPG to allow Pawan Hans to use the airport as a base for chartered passengers.The SPG promptly promised to ``examine the matter'' in a departmental memo to the Aviation Ministry. It, however, pointed out that this would have to be done in consultation with several other agencies, such as the IB and Delhi police, since they would all have to set up infrastructure at the airport if the restrictions were eased.SPG officials point out that if chartered flights were allowed, Delhi police would have to provide perimeter security and set up an immigration counter.Though the letter from the Ministry had assured that it would address all security concerns, the SPG remains unconvinced. ``We do not see how they can justify such claims. Restrictions were imposed on the airport only after a diligent threat assessment was carried out,'' they contend.They also claim that they have already reduced the number of hours when no flight is allowed before a PM's flight.
