'3,049 CISF posts were abolished across airports in 2019'

A total of 3,049 posts of CISF were abolished across airports in the year 2019 to rationalise the deployment at these airports.

"Of these, 1,924 posts were abolished from non-core duty points to be replaced by Private Security Agencies (PSAs). The remaining 1,125 posts of CISF have been trimmed down. After abolition of 3,049 posts, the strength of CISF, in 2019, was 27,218 which has now increased to 36,122 after subsequent augmentation in their strength," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

The Ministry in the reply informed that PSA personnel undertake non-core tasks and work under the operational command and overall supervision of officer in-charge of Aviation Security Group (ASG) who is designated as Chief Aerodrome Security Officer (CASO) for that particular airport.