TheAirport Sector(abbreviated as theAPS) is one of the sectors of theCentral Industrial Security Force(CISF), aCentral Armed Police Forceof India. The sector is responsible for providing security coverage tocivil airports in Indiaunder the regulatory frame work of theBureau of Civil Aviation Security,Ministry of Civil Aviation.Headed by aadditional director general of police-rank officer and headquartered atNew Delhi.Currently Praveer Ranjan, IPS, is ADG/APS. It is the largest sector of CISF in terms of number of personnel deployed. It provides security coverage to 68 national and international airports in the country.
History
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The security of commercial airports in India was under the control ofairport policeof respective states where the relevant airports were situated before it was decided that a single agency should hold this responsibility. After thehijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814on 7 December 1999, theGovernment of Indiadecided on 7 January 2000 to hand over the security of airports in the country to the Central Industrial Security Force in a phased manner.[1][2]The first such induction of CISF happened on 3 February 2000 when it took over the security ofJaipur Airportin Rajasthan.[2]The process of inducting CISF at the different airports was accelerated after theSeptember 11 attacksin the United States in which four passenger aeroplanes were hijacked by terrorists.[citation needed]
Structure
editThe Central Industrial Security Force is divided into various sectors with each headed by aninspector general-rank officer known as the Sector Inspector General.[3]However, being the largest of all the sectors of CISF comprising the largest deployment of personnel, the Airport Sector is headed by an officer of the rankspecial director general;this post is currently held by Gyanendra Singh Malik, anIndian Police Service1993-batch officer from Gujarat -cadre.[4][5]The sector is further divided into two sub-sectors: Airport Sector-1 (APS-1) headed by Vijay Prakash IPS (UP cadre 1996 batch) with headquarters in New Delhi and Airport Sector-2 (APS-2) headed by Jose Mohan IPS (Rajasthan cadre 2002 batch) with headquarters in Bangalore, each is headed by an inspector general of police. The Airport Sector-1 consists of Airport North Zone with headquarters in New Delhi and Airport East and Northeast Zone with headquarters inKolkata.Similarly, the Airport Sector-2 is divided into two zones: Airport West Zone with headquarters in Mumbai and Airport South Zone with headquarters inChennai.[6]
Dog Squad
editIn 2021, The DIG of CISF said that the dog squad was 'an important component of the force'. The dogs are trained to sniff and identifyIEDsandnarcotics.While working with the bomb disposal squad they screen the bags left unattended. As of 2021, the CISF team in charge of Chennai Airport security has a dog squad of 9 dogs.[7]
Security coverage
editThe Central Industrial Security Force is the "national civil aviation security force" responsible for providing security coverage to 65 commercial airports including the most recent additions to the listSrinagar Airport,Jammu AirportandSurat Airport.[8][9]It has also taken over the security ofKushok Bakula Rimpochee AirportinLadakh.[9]The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) took over the security of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya on January 10,2024.
References
edit- ^"CISF replaces usual airport security drill with 'tactical checking'".Firstpost.New Delhi. 17 August 2014.Retrieved28 May2020.
- ^abChatterjee, D. K. (2005). "Central Industrial Security Force – Airport Security".Central Police Organisations, Part 1.Allied Publishers. p. 79.ISBN8177649027.
- ^"West Sector – Home".Cisfws.gov.in (Official website of the Western Sector).Retrieved16 May2020.
- ^"Central Industrial Security Force"(PDF).Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs – Working Conditions in Non-Border Guarding Central Armed Police Forces (Report) (215 ed.).Rajya SabhaSecretariat. 12 December 2018. p. 14.Retrieved25 May2020.
- ^"PPE suits for CISF personnel deployed at airport".The Economic Times.Press Trust of India.15 April 2020.Retrieved20 May2020.
- ^"CISF Organizational Chart".Cisf.gov.in.Retrieved16 May2020.
- ^Kannan, Sindhu (21 August 2021)."Two CISF dogs retire, 3 new inducted in Chennai".The Times of India.No. Chennai News. TNN.
- ^"Coronavirus outbreak: CISF cancels all transfers till March next year".The Indian Express.21 May 2020.Retrieved21 May2020.
- ^ab"CISF takes over Jammu airport security".The Indian Express.Press Trust of India.6 March 2020.Retrieved16 May2020.