T3 Chaos: Centre allocates 1,400 additional CISF personnel to ease congestion

Passengers have been taking to Twitter to complain about serpentine queues at security checks and unhelpful staff. (Image credit: @SundeepMatharoo/TTwitter)

As part of the expansion of the Delhi Airport's terminal areas and to meet the challenges of its growing passenger traffic, the central government sanctioned 1,400 additional CISF personnel on December 15.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla conveyed this message at a high-level meeting with representatives of the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Bureau of Immigration. The meeting was convened to discuss measures taken to relieve the recent congestion at large airports, particularly in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

In the meeting, it was announced that 1,400 Central Industrial Security Force personnel would soon be deployed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, where terminal expansions are underway in three terminals and the cargo hold.

Renovations and expansions to Terminal 1 were scheduled to be completed by December 2023 or January 2024, but the government wants it finished by November 2023, the start of the holiday season.

In order to secure expanding IGI areas, more CISF personnel will be required, they explained. Following a four-month joint survey conducted by security agencies, the enhanced manpower over and above the existing strength of about 5,000 personnel has been approved. The proposal was finally approved by the Civil Aviation Ministry after being moved by the BCAS.

To meet upcoming needs at IGI, the joint review had estimated the creation of 2,400 posts for the CISF. However, the manpower has been reduced to 1,400 personnel, apart from filling up existing vacancies in the sanctioned 5,000 personnel strength, sources said.

After the induction of the fresh manpower, the IGI will have about 6,500 men and women personnel.

The new CISF strength will not only be used to render the core duty of the force -- of providing an anti-terrorist and anti-hijack cover at the hypersensitive facility -- but also to meet the challenge of the ever-growing passenger footfall, both for domestic and international travel, sources told PTI.

As part of the meeting, Bhalla also invited stakeholders to discuss continuous complaints from passengers about the rush at the entry gates, luggage drop areas, and security checkpoints. According to an official, the meeting discussed the issue of crowding and how to resolve it.

To ease the latest cycle of congestion and to meet holiday season demands, the paramilitary force that guards 66 airports in the country on Wednesday deployed about 100 personnel at the Delhi and Mumbai airports.

A total of 16 entry gates were operational at IGI during the recent visit of Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, which has now been increased to 18 gates and will eventually be expanded to 20 gates. Also, immigration counters and security check lines are being increased, the statement said.

Also, the BCAS has requested that airlines and airport operators post posters and send awareness messages to passengers about carrying one cabin baggage and checking in online before reaching the airport.

Apart from other large airports, it has also asked DIAL (for IGI) to look into bringing in more automated tray retrieval systems and 3D baggage scanners.

Several passengers have posted pictures and videos of long queues and crowding at Delhi's IGI and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport over the last two weeks, prompting authorities to tell airlines and airport operators to ease the congestion.

In addition, the civil aviation ministry requested scheduled airlines to update their check-in and baggage drop counters with adequate manpower.

(With Inputs from PTI)