NEW DELHI: Considering an increase in passengers and flight services at Trivandrum, Jaipur, Patna and Bagdogra airports, the Centre has decided to enhance security by deploying more CISF personnel at these airports.
Confirming the development, a senior CISF official told The New Indian Express, “The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had written to us for augmentation of CISF strength at these airports because there was a significant increase in passenger and flights traffic. The Centre has issued an order sanctioning deployment of additional CISF personnel at these airports.” Though the official did not disclose the exact number, sources said around 100-300 additional personnel will be deployed at these airports.
The AAI is planning to invest crores of rupees on the expansion of around a dozen airports, which includes these three. The AAI is slated to create additional capacity at Jaipur, which is already in the list of airports operating beyond their design capacity.
Patna, the 16th busiest and eighth fastest growing airport in India, is slated to become operational 24x7 by March. The number of flights operating from Patna is expected to go up to 49 by March. As per the data released by AAI, the Patna airport handled 20,24,568 flyers between April and November in 2017 as against 13,36,691 flyers during the same period in 2016.
There has also been a significant growth in passenger traffic at the Trivandrum international airport. In 2015-16, it received 34.17 lakh passengers. Bagdogra airport in West Bengal, the 27th busiest, recorded a 40 per cent surge in passenger traffic in 2016-17 compared to 2015-16.