CISF takes over security of upcoming Noida international airport

New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) The CISF on Monday took over the security of the upcoming Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh to provide the civil aviation facility a counter-terrorist security cover.

A senior officer told PTI that about 120 commandos of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been deployed after the induction ceremony held at the facility near Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar district.

The total strength of CISF personnel sanctioned by the Union home ministry for the airport set to be inaugurated on October 30 is 1,047.

Senior officers of the central paramilitary force, including its director general-designate Praveer Ranjan, and officials from the airport operator were present during the induction ceremony, a force spokesman said.

The Noida airport is the 70th civil airport under the security cover of the CISF.

The force will provide armed perimeter and access control, passenger and baggage screening, terminal and landside security, besides deploying quick reaction teams (QRTs), the spokesman said.

"Deployment will be scaled up in line with operational requirements as passenger traffic and flight operations grow," he said.

The greenfield airport located about 75 km from Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh will be the second international airport in the National Capital Region (NCR) after the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the capital.

Billed to be India's largest airport upon full development before 2050, the project -- which started in 2019-- was initially scheduled to launch operations in September 2024.

Being developed in four phases, the airport has completed key aeronautical infrastructure for Phase 1, including one runway and one passenger terminal with an annual capacity to handle 12 million passengers.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu recently said the airport will be inaugurated on October 30 and flight operations will begin within the next 45 days on 10 routes. PTI NES ARI