A survey conducted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has revealed that the percentage of lost items returned to passengers at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was far higher than at airports in Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore.
Airport officials said the survey was conducted across six airports in Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore. The survey focused on the percentage of recovery of lost items at each airport. Of the six, Delhi fared the best.
Additional Director General (Airport) O P Singh said, ?The CISF conducted the survey last month. The survey revealed that the Delhi airport had the highest percentage of the lost items restored to its owners as compared to the other five airports?.
Delhi recorded an impressive ?restored? record of 82.23 per cent, followed by Kolkata at 66.67 per cent, Hyderabad at 51.8 per cent, Chennai at 40.97 per cent and Mumbai at 25.27 per cent. Bangalore came in last with a dismal 13.23 per cent ?items returned? rate.
Officials said since Bangalore and Mumbai have recorded such dismal percentages, the CISF headquarters has pulled up the Bangalore and Mumbai airports authorities, asking them to increase their efficiency. Sources said a review of the survey data is being conducted to understand why the airports have such a bad record.
Ordinarily, when passengers forget items, they are recovered and sent to the ?Lost and Found? department, where they are stored for three months. If there are no claimants at the end of three months, the items are auctioned.
Officials said before the survey was conducted, it was noticed that the recovery of lost items at Delhi airport stood at 30-35 per cent. As such, passenger complaints were on the rise. The CISF began a drive to train its staff in surveillance. ?We wanted to make staff more responsive. The exercise helped and so has the survey. We have to ensure that all airports are as responsive,? an airport official at IGIA said.
