JOIN USAirports don't provide proper accommodation, complains CISF
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which has personnel deployed at over 55 airports in the country, has been enduring a lack of accommodation for its troops for some time now.
According to senior officials, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is responsible for providing accommodation to CISF personnel and their families wherever stipulated. A total of 19,574 CISF personnel currently provide security to airports across the country. But the CISF said the Airports Authority has shirked its responsibility by not proving accommodation for many of these troops.
There are 1,070 and 99 personel on active duty at the Bangalore and Mangalore airports, respectively. But many complain of not having proper housing — a complaint the CISF promised to take up with the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“The Ministry is the nodal agency for this and they have communicated to us that appropriate action will be taken,” a senior official said.
Numbers
According to statistics released by CISF officers, the required number of family accommodation units for Force personnel deputed at various airports is 11,114. “But there are only about 2,883 such accommodations, leaving a shortfall of 8,231,” a senior officer said.
Regarding barracks or unmarried accommodation for personnel at airports, the numbers tell a better story. Out of a requiremement for 10,297 housing units, the Airport Authority has been able to provide 8,578 units — leaving a deficiency of 1,719.
Airport security until the end of the ‘90s, was under the control of airport police, which reported to state governments. Following the hijack of the Indian Airlines flight in 1999, however, this task fell on the CISF. After the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, the Force also began to protect entire airports.
With a strength of over 1.12 lakh active troops, the CISF is the premier security agency responsible for guarding public sector undertakings, Isro and several private industry houses. Among city airports in the nation, Delhi and Mumbai enjoy the strongest CISF presence with 4,167 and 2,706 troops respectively. Hyderabad and Ahmedabad have 744 and 613 CISF troops respectively.