CISF out, pvt security to guard airport-metro link

Reliance Infrastructure-led consortium which is developing and operating the corridor has recruited former paramilitary personnel in the ranks of Inspectors from the BSF, CRPF, CISF, SPG and the NSG, giving them more than double the salary they were receiving, for the purpose.

Reliance has recruited 10-12 CISF inspectors, giving them lucrative salaries, besides taking over 60 retired men from other forces like the elite SPG, NSG, CRPF and BSF.
The CISF inspectors opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) from the government to join the sensitive project. Interestingly, these CISF men were protecting other Metro lines which are currently operational.

The 23-km link from New Delhi to IGI Airport corridor will be made operational by this month-end. "Security of the Airport line will have personnel having rich experience in police, military and paramilitary and are already on board. Three private security agencies are on board to provide trained guards and supervisors," a Reliance Infrastructure Ltd spokesperson said.

"The project is ready in all aspects and will be operational immediately after a certificate from the Railway Safety Commissioner," the spokesperson said. According to sources, the consortium would also write to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for hiring the services of sniffer dogs squad and the commandos of Quick Reaction Team of CISF to thwart any possible sabotage and terror attacks.

But the normal security checks would be carried out by the private security men only. The network will have six stations -- New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi Aerocity, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Dwarka Sector-21. Every station will have a security control room guarded by these officials, officials involved in the project said.

The former servicemen will act as security managers and controllers at these stations and will be armed with technical gadgets for frisking passengers and scanning of baggage. Baggage scanners trained by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security will be deployed on the link. Successful trials of this link have already being conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation, under the Ministry of Railways.