CISF offers security at low cost for small airports

NEW DELHI : In order to maintain the security standard at smaller airports that would come up under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the CISF has offered to provide frisking staff at minimal cost. After the first round of bidding, government is expecting 27 served airports, 12 underserved airports and 31 unserved airports to be con- nected through 27 routes that have been awarded in the first bid. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), after a study, has found that of the 31 unserved airports, it has its unit near eight airports.

“We can have mobile teams that will go two hours before the landing/take off and return to the main unit.

The cost of it will not be much as we don’t need to post permanent staff. Local police can look after the periphery security while our staff will carry out the passenger’s frisking and baggage scanning,” said a senior CISF official.

The ministry of civil aviation had asked the CISF to do a study on core and non-core job at small airports. “The objective of RCS is to provide air travel at low cost. By putting CISF at smaller airports would increase the operational cost, which we do not want. But at the same point, we cannot compromise with the security. A plane taking off from a remote area need to be as safe as plane taking off from the metro airports. CISF has said that core job includes frisking and baggage scanning and they should be doing it,” said a ministry official.

Decision in this regard will be taken soon as government wants security at airports across the country should be of the same standard.