Crowd at T3 IGI Airport departure in New Delhi on December 13. Photo Credit: PTI
Official sources said on December 14 that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has drawn up a pool of over 100 personnel, who are expected to be assigned additional security counters to decongest major airports in Delhi and Mumbai. Is.
The central paramilitary force named as the National Aviation Security Force has informed airport operators, airlines and the Union Civil Aviation Ministry that while it may bring on board some more security personnel, there is no agreement on security protocols and standard operating procedures. can be done. Regular frisking of passengers and scanning of cabin baggage apart from passengers undergo extensive search due to specific profiling.”
A senior CISF official told PTI The force has brought in over 100 personnel “over and above” the sanctioned strength of about 4,500 personnel each at the Delhi and Mumbai airports.
He said that we can increase the number of male and female personnel in other airports as well.
The move will continue till the upcoming holiday season due to Christmas and New Year celebrations.
After Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently reviewed passenger facilities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, a few more security counters are expected to be opened.
CISF has also assured that the force will provide additional manpower to run them which will help in decongesting the existing and will streamline passenger check-in and boarding from Terminals 3, 1 and 2.
A team of CISF officers to supervise operations in the security check area and private security guards were recently deployed at several airports to help passengers in queuing up, crowd management and bar code scanning of boarding passes.
“We have informed the airport operators in Delhi and Mumbai and we are in a position to deploy fresh manpower for the new security counters opened to expedite the security check queue. It is also reiterated to all the stakeholders Recently, security was compromised even during heavy rush of passengers at major airports.
He said that leaves of personnel posted at major airports have also been rationalized and the maximum number would be on duty for the next fortnight.
The CISF currently guards 65 civilian airport terminals in the country through its specialized unit called the Aviation Security Group (ASG) and its main function is to provide an anti-hijack and anti-terrorist cover to these facilities.
Over the past two weeks, passengers have been posting pictures and videos of long queues and crowds at IGI in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, prompting authorities to take note and subsequently airlines and airport operators is being asked to take necessary measures. transportation.
The Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday asked airlines to deploy adequate manpower at all check-in and baggage drop counters, besides posting real-time data on their social media feeds about waiting time at airport entry gates belonging to scheduled airlines. request to insert.
Amid rising air traffic, airlines have asked passengers to reach the airport early, do web check-in and carry only one piece of luggage for faster movement.