Faulty passport scanners create issues at the BIA

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Department of Immigration and Emigration notes that a special team of technical officers will be deployed at the Bandaranaike International Airport today (December 30) to inquire about the technical errors that arose in the new passport Scanners installed for passenger clearance operations. The Department's controller Nihal Ranasinghe says that these steps will be taken to restore the technical problem within two days. The inquiries are made along complains received that more time is being consumed for the newly installed computers and passport scanning machines. When News 1st made an inquiry into the matter, the Chairman of the Immigration and Emigration officials Union Anura Thanugala said that the particular computer system was installed without the knowledge of the IT division of the department. However, 50 computers and 50 scanners were installed for the convenience of the officers on the 1st of this month. Around 25,000 passengers both local and foreign pass through the gates of the BIA on a daily basis. According to our correspondent, a large number of these passengers have had to endure long lines.