CISF armed with anti-terror security cover to guard airports under UDAN

Armed CISF personnel will guard more than 60 airports operational in tier-two and tier-three cities under the Centre's regional connectivity scheme UDAN.

Officials said more than 1500 troops under comprehensive anti-terror security cover will guard the airports.
 The proposal deemed as "very important security measure" is awaiting final policy sanction from the home ministry. The bureau of civil aviation security (BCAS), in consultation with the ministry of civil aviation and the CISF, finalised the proposal.

Some airports such as Shimla, which are under the regional connectivity scheme, are being guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while the rest are secured by various state police forces or their special armed units and there is no uniform policy.

 
The regional connectivity scheme was launched under the name of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on October 21, 2016, by the Union government to stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable to the masses residing in tier-2 and tier-3 cities and towns.

 
The civil aviation ministry is the regulating agency. Airports Authority of India (AAI) is responsible for implementing the ambitious scheme of the Narendra Modi government.

 
The CISF is the national civil aviation security force as it guards 66 major domestic and international airports in the country The state government concerned and the AAI will provide lodging facilities for the 57 personnel that are supposed to be deployed at each airport under the regional connectivity scheme, apart from putting in place security gadgets and equipment such as hand-held metal detectors for passenger frisking and baggage scanning x-ray machines, officials said. These facilities need not be in the airport premises as the terminals are very small and there are very limited flights from there. The lodging facilities can be provided at a nearby government barrack or residential unit and in some cases the CISF will draw its manpower from its nearest available security unit from where the troops can undertake a short trip, to be in place before the departure, they said.