CISF personnel deployed at 66 airports to provide security: MoS Civil Aviation

The personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been deployed at 66 airports to provide security to the facilities and installations, while in the remaining airports, the security is provided by the state police, Minister of State, Civil Aviation, V.K. Singh said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The minister further told the Upper House that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Civil Aviation Security Regulator in India, after reviewing risk and threat assessments carried out by Central Security Agencies, issues Aviation Security circulars or orders for the effective implementation of security controls at all Indian airports for the purpose of safeguarding civil aviation activities and operations from an act of unlawful interference.

The CISF apprises relevant authorities from time to time about Aviation Security in different forums.

Singh also said that the requirement for security is dynamic in nature.

"The security system at airports is reviewed regularly and upgraded as per the requirement by the BCAS in consultation with concerned agencies and stakeholders, including CISF and Airport Operators, depending upon threat perceptions, and corrective measures taken," he added.

For enhancement of security infrastructure at airports, some of the technologies deployed and proposed for deployment include Computer Tomography Explosive Detection Systems (CT-EDS) machines and Dual Generator X-BIS machines.

Besides, Automated Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) has been installed in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi and is under trial at Delhi and a few more airports.

Also, the directions have been issued for the Minimum Technical specification for Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS).

It has been installed at Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports.

Full body scanners at all airports have been planned in a phased manner, mainly at all hypersensitive and sensitive airports on a priority basis.

"Radiological Detection Equipment (RDE) at Indian Airports are planned in a phased manner. Biometric Centralized Access Control Systems have been launched in 48 Airports. Increase in the number of screening machines at airports in view of the increasing number of passengers," Singh stated in his letter.

( With inputs from ANI )