In a formal ceremony held this week, the CISF team led by Digvijay Kumar Singh, Commandant, CISF was welcomed by Albert Brunner, CEO, BIAL.  The CISF has been inducted into the new airport and 770 CISF personnel will be deployed at BIAL for airport security purposes. This number will increase to 1,039 including the land side security.   
In the first phase of security coverage, CISF will exercise access control to the Terminal Building and to the airside through control of the perimeter gates. A ring of security will be laid along the perimeter including manning of all the watch towers. The security cover will further be advanced on May 20, 2008 when the CISF will apply all security norms in compliance with the regulations laid down by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
The Commandant, CISF assured BIAL that they will employ security procedures in sync with ICAO so that passenger satisfaction level is at par with international airports. In the coming months, the CISF at the new airport plans to be ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Formal inauguration
The Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) will be formally inaugurated in the presence of the State and Central Government on a suitable date in the month of June 2008.
But the airport will become commercially operational on May 23 following the approval of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) on Friday made a formal announcement to this effect.
The switch to the new airport will take place at midnight (00:01 hours of May 23).
All flights landing and departing after midnight will operate from the new airport and flights arriving before midnight (on May 22, 2008) and departing after midnight will also operate from the new airport.