Kathmandu, July 7

Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma made a surprise visit to Tribhuvan International Airport last night and observed and took stock of the functioning of the units under the ministry.

During the visit, he inspected different sections of the Immigration Office to ascertain whether the employees were on duty. Minister Sharma also went through the attendance register to check the presence of employees posted at arrival and departure point of the immigration. Immigration Officer Keshav Prasad Rijal briefed Sharma on the functioning of the units.

He interacted with some employees and inspected x-ray machines and CCTV room of the only international airport of the country. Some air conditioners and CCTV cameras were found to have gone kaput. Police constable Bikram Tamang informed the minister that only 208 out of 341 CCTV cameras were functional at the airport.

Minister Sharma warned the TIA officials against any activity prohibited under the existing laws. He also directed them to carry out their duties and responsibilities in a professional manner. “Any one involved in unethical activities will be booked outright,” he warned.

Home Administration Reform Roadmanp, 2017 recently unveiled by Sharma has envisioned making the TIA immigration of international standard.

“A hi-tech record system will be developed for easy access to information about arrival and departure of air passengers. For this purpose, existing visa application based IMMI Software will be replaced with Border Control System,” it read.

A home ministry official said Sharma’s surprise visit to the TIA was part of the step to eventually implement the roadmap. The MoHA has also strengthened security arrangements at the TIA to control the movement of absconding convicts and terrorists and identify them before arrest. Similarly, it is planning to promote the existing two-shift service delivery of the TIA to three-shift to operate it round-the-clock.