New Delhi: Close to 30 new civil airports will soon come under the security umbrella of Central Industrial Security Force, which has embarked on a major project to integrate security systems and gadgets at 59 of these air facilities in the country.
The force, assigned to guard the country's domestic and international airports, is also looking for some state-of-the-art gadgets like alarm emitting CCTVs to ensure that not even a blink escapes from the eyes of its troopers.
"We have plans to go to 30 more airports in the country which are in the civil domain. We are already securing 59. But the most important thing that we would be doing in the near future is to integrate our security devices and standardising our airport security gadgets across the country," CISF Director General (DG) Arvind Ranjan told reporters here.
The force, in a latest development, has also taken over the control-access security systems at cargo terminals of nine large airports in the country which include the IGIA in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore amongst others. "We would be taking some more cargo complexes under our control in near future from the security point of view," CISF Additional DG (Airport security) O P Singh said.
Till recently, CISF was only guarding the passenger side of the airports but in view of constant terror Ranjan said the aim of the force is to have all its security protocols and gadget operations in a state of absolute preparedness and in sync with the training that is given to its personnel for airport security tasks.
"All the airports under our security, big or small, should have one standard while working on the security platform. Our boys should be comfortable in using all the gadgets deployed in airport security. We have this task on mind for the future," he said.
The force has already approached the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for a meeting in this regard. The force, keeping in view the paucity of accommodation for its personnel guarding the airports in the country, has set aside Rs 100 crore which will be used to construct residential facilities and barracks.
"Locations in 35 cities have also been finalised with regard to these constructions," ADG Singh said. Ranjan said the paramilitary force has also initiated a new plan of giving its security and residential complexes related requirements to a new installation right at the time of the conception so that their necessities are suitably met on completion and they can take over the security of a place without hassles.
This has happened, the DG said, in the case of a power plant project that is coming up in Uttar Pradesh. In reply to another question, the DG said the paramilitary will also contribute 165 companies for security-related duties in coming Lok Sabha polls. One CISF company has about 100 personnel threats to these facilities, the paramilitary force has taken over the security at these locations which are close to passenger terminals
