Delhi airport chaos: Home Secretary to hold key meeting, may ramp up CISF deployment

A meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla is slated to take stock of the overcrowding situation at the airports in Delhi and Mumbai.

Reports said an additional 1,200 personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are likely to be deployed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in addition to the 5,000 already there to ensure hassle-free travel for passengers.

The meeting has been summoned by the secretary in regards of several complaints raised from passengers about the rush at the entry gates, luggage dropping, and security check areas.

Significant representatives of the respective associates like Civil Aviation Ministry, airport operators, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Bureau of Immigration are expected to attend the meeting, an official said.

It has been noted that over the last two weeks, passengers have been posting pictures and videos of long queues and crowding at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) particularly in Delhi and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

This situation has prompted the authorities to take note, asking airlines and airport operators to ease the traffic.

The CISF has brought up more than 100 personnel to form additional security in expectation of further counters, official sources mentioned.

Also read: Scindia visits Delhi airport after complaints of congestion; increases number of entry gates

On the note of security and protection, the central paramilitary, designated as the national aviation security force, has also informed airport operators, airlines, and the Union civil aviation ministry that it can bring some more security personnel on board.

It said, “no compromise on security protocols and standard operating procedures followed by it for regular frisking of passengers and scanning of cabin baggage apart from fliers required to undergo extensive search due to specific profiling.”

In addition, the civil aviation ministry on Tuesday had asked airlines to deploy adequate manpower at all check-in and baggage drop counters.

It has further requesting the scheduled airlines to update their social media feed with real-time numbers on the waiting time at airports entry gates.

Notably, the continued disturbance at the airports has forced airlines to ask passengers to reach airports early, do a web check-in, and carry only one piece of hand baggage for faster movement.

 (With inputs from agencies)