The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will soon put out official invitations for companies to install solar-powered electric fences around the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport in Ahmedabad. A recentl incident, where monkeys were seen scampering across the runway just when an Indigo flight was about to land. This has prompted the decision to install electric fences.    

Another major worry that has incited this move is the hordes of visitors who sit along the boundary wall to view airplanes landing and taking off from the runway. This could be a future security risk, say AAI officials.  But the electric fences will mainly ward off disruptive animals, like monkeys and langurs. The system is cost-effective and good in the long term. The fences will be installed by September end, says an AAI official.    

When an animal or human being comes into contact with an electric fence, they receive a sharp, short, painful but safe electric shock. The shock, according to AAI officials, does not cause any physical damage. The fence acts as a strong psychological barrier as any intruder avoids trespassing after experiencing the shock.