Delhi’s Safdarjung Airport to have full armed security cover

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) The Safdarjung Airport in thenational capital would soon be safeguarded by an armedsecurity cover provided by a central paramilitary force inview of potential threats to the facility used primarily forflying VVIP helicopter sorties. Official sources said a full-fledged security audit ofthe air facility located in the high-profile location ofcentral Delhi has been ordered after central security agenciesrecommended the same and after a preliminary report wasprepared about possible threats and vulnerabilities to it. The over 200-acre airport is presently provided securityby troops of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) drawn fromNorth East states and they largely look after access-controlduties through official entry/exit gates. The facility is operated by the Airports Authority ofIndia (AAI) and apart from conducting regular administrativeoperations, the airport also houses the hangar for the Mi-17series of choppers of the Border Security Force and is used tofly VVIPs using these or by the helicopters of the Indian AirForce. Sources said post the security audit, the task to fullysecure the facility could be handed over to the CentralIndustrial Security Force (CISF), which is the mandated agencyto guard major civilian airports in the country. Facing threat of terror attacks, the Home Ministry hadrecently ordered security audit of nearly 100 civil airportsand decided to bring all such facilities under the CISF covergradually. There are three facilities in the national capital whichare used for flying operations including the civilian IndiraGandhi International Airport (IGIA) guarded by the CISF andthe Palam technical area used for flying jets for VVIPs and itis guarded by the IAF. Only the Safdarjung Airport, which has a runway but isonly used for rotor-wing chopper operations, does not have adedicated security mechanism. Sources said central security agencies have pointed tothe vulnerability of the airport as it has a open road-facingrunway and its vast periphery is dotted by thick vegetationand buildings. It is also essential to keep the airport safe as thePresident, Prime Minister and other dignitaries take flightfrom here occasionally, and at times of emergencies, somesecret sorties for special operations are also undertaken fromhere, they said. MORE PTI NESDV