In notable changes in airport security management, the government has given permission for deploying private security guards at the airport.
It is going to happen for the first time after 2002 when private security was held accountable for the security of the airport after the Kandahar Hijack Incident, after which the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was given the responsibility for airport security.
According to the instructions given by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), all airport operators have the freedom to hire private security guards for the security of the airports. Although, in the order given by BCAS, it is clearly stated that the private security guard can be deployed at five non-core or non-strategic areas of the airports. These areas include sorting out all the passengers at the airport, managing the queue at the fore of the boarding counter, controlling the baggage, and commanding the security of the cargo area as well as the visitors' gallery.
The step was taken by the central government after keeping the fact in mind that with each passing day, the airports are getting crowded and CISF does not have enough force to manage all of it.
Currently, the Aviation Security Group of CISF is handling the security of almost 64 airports out of 118 in the country. The other 54 of the airport's security is being handled by the state police and the workforce of the Indian Reserve Battalion. According to a survey by the Center, 30,003 people are needed for the security of airports while the CISF has 29,399 personnel.
The number of airports in the country is growing promptly and in that case, to reduce the pressure of the airport's security on CISF, the government has taken this step and given orders to deploy Private Security Guards for the security of the airports.
