Cost of airport security to rise: Hussain

The cost of deploying Central Industrial Security Force for aviation security at all functional airports across the country would rise by Rs 138 crore (Rs 1.38 billion) per annum, Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said on Wednesday.

"The cost of inducting CISF would rise from the present level of Rs 80 crore (Rs 800 million) to Rs 218 crore (Rs 2.18 billion), but there will be no compromise on security," he said after formally inducting the force to take over the entire security at Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi.

With the induction of CISF at the Delhi airport designated "hyper-sensitive", the force would now handle the entire security at 46 airports including those at the metros.

IGI Airport would be equipped with modern security systems including those to counter a Parliament House-type suicide attack by terrorists.

Asking the CISF personnel to be cautious but courteous as well, he said, "The khadi-clad personalities have great expectations that they should be saluted and not frisked. I can understand your (CISF personnel) problems but do not compromise on security."

He said a list of VIPs exempted from personal frisking had been prepared for the security men to abide by. "The rest should be searched," he said.

The minister said a Civil Aviation Security Academy would be coming up at the national capital to provide specialised training to manpower. A post of Inspector General of Police had also been sanctioned for aviation security, he said.

He also complimented the Delhi police for providing airport security at the airport almost since inception.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security chief T K Mitra and his CISF counterpart B B Mishra pointed out that induction of the paramilitary force was of immense significance as Delhi airport was a transit point for high-security VIPs.

Mishra said as many as 1990 CISF personnel, who would replace the Delhi police security set-up, had been imparted specialised training concerning anti-hijacking and physical security of the airport and aircraft. Quick Reaction Teams had also been put in place to handle emergencies.

He said the induction would take place in a phased manner and the Delhi Police personnel would leave by the month end.