Security at Calcutta airport will be further tightened following an upgrade of the luggage screening system.

“State-of-the-art in-line X-ray machines will replace the existing ones in the terminal buildings as part of our attempt to boost security. The new gadgets will be fitted with the conveyor belts,” said an airport official.

Installation work will start from November. Airport sources said the first of the two machines would be installed in the domestic terminal building.

“Apart from enhancing security, the new system will bring an added benefit in its wake. Once the existing machines are withdrawn, there will be more space for passengers,” said airport director V. K. Monga.

In the present system, registered luggage of passengers on domestic flights is screened by one of the four X-ray machines in the terminal.

“But after the luggage is sealed, it is returned to the passenger who carries it to the check-in counter. Though there are security men hired by the airport authorities and the airlines, a passenger can still tamper with the luggage on his way to the check-in counter,” said a security official.

In the new system, the conveyor belt at the check-in counter will have in-built X-ray machines that will be imported from the Netherlands. Registered luggage will be screened on the conveyor belt after passengers check in. Once the luggage is placed on the belt, passengers will not get to handle it till he lands at the destination.

Security officials said the system would have four levels of check.

“The machine’s software will decide whether a luggage needs more than one level of screening. Bags sent for the third level of screening will be frisked manually,” an official said.

The machine will have the capacity to screen 1,000 bags in an hour. The existing ones can screen around 300 per hour.

The authorities are planning to create more space in the domestic airport terminal building by removing the X-ray machines and shifting the outer glass wall to the newly built canopy.

Work on the canopy is likely to be over early next year. It covers 2,650 sq m — from one end of the terminal to the other — and extends into the lounge area.

“Once the wall is shifted more space will be created,” said an official. Shortly, a second escalator will be installed in the domestic terminal.

The three conveyor belts in the domestic terminal will be replaced with new ones and an additional one will be installed.