PPE suits for CISF personnel deployed at airport

All Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security personnel who frisk passengers at airports will be provided personal protective equipment (PPE) suits once commercial flight operations resume in the country, a senior official said.

The force has procured about 500 pieces and is in the process of obtaining more.

Attempts are also being made to "improvise" raincoats with the help of medical experts so that security personnel deployed for other tasks in and around the terminal area can use them to prevent coronavirus.

"All our security personnel who frisk passengers at airports will wear PPE suits. We have about 500 pieces of them at present and more will be procured," CISF Special Director General (SDG) and head of airports security M A Ganapathy told PTI.

Other force officials present in the security hold area will have adequate number of personal masks, hand sanitisers and shoe covers, he said.

The force guards 63 civil airports of the country at present.

The officer said the CISF has suggested to the Civil Aviation Ministry about having a staggered flights system when airline operations resume at the end of the nationwide lockdown.

Prime minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday declared that the second phase of the lockdown will continue till May 3.

Another official said non-bunching of flights, one after the other, like the earlier times is a recommendation that the force has made.

Among other measures to keep passenger operations free from COVID-19 infection, the CISF has also suggested that adequate measures should be taken to segregate those who have undergone quarantine at home or a hospital and such passengers could be frisked in a different section at the airport.

Such passengers, the official said, could be asked to fill up a self-declaration form informing this medical or COVID-19 related history.

The passengers will also be asked to report about 2-3 hours in advance to take a domestic flight so that all security procedures along with physical distance protocols go hand-in-hand, the official said.

Passengers will be asked to wear masks while entering the airports and sanitiser points will be erected at various places inside and outside the terminal area, he said.

The baggage checking and screening will also be conducted in a similar manner, he said.

It is not expected that commercial flights will witness too much occupancy in the initial days after the lockdown is lifted and hence this will give time to airport operators and security personnel to practice the new drills with ease, another official, who did not wish to be named, said.

The about 1.62 lakh personnel central force deploys about 32,000 personnel to secure the airports of the country under its aviation security group.