Saturday, August 12 2006 14:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Government yesterday (Aug 11, 2006) imposed strict restrictions on air travellers, banning the carrying of liquids and gels in hand baggage, as security was tightened in airports across the country a day after police in Britain uncovered a terror plot targeting airliners.

The new security guidelines announced by the civil aviation ministry barred passengers from carrying liquids in their hand baggage or their person, and make it mandatory for travellers to report at airports 90 minutes before the departure of domestic flights and three hours ahead of international flights.

Security personnel at airports, including those in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, intensified the checking of baggage and frisking of travellers and crew members of all flights. In Kolkata, even shoes of passengers were checked.

"A new threat has emerged from the unearthing of the terror plot in London that liquids and gels can be used as explosives. We have taken note of this fact," Civil Aviation Secretary Ajay Prasad told reporters in the national capital.

The only liquids allowed in hand baggage are baby foods and medicines with proper prescriptions. Officials were authorised to ask passengers to taste baby food.

Prasad said the deployment of sky marshals on flights and CISF personnel at airports had been augmented. All airlines were told to close their counters 30 minutes before the departure of flights, said Prasad, who held a series of meetings to review security arrangements.

Officials in Mumbai said the city's two airports had been on the highest "red alert" level since the July 11 train bombings while passengers were subjected to a four-tier security check at Chennai's Meenambakkam airport.