With seven more airports likely to become operational in a year or two in tier-two cities of Karnataka, the Home Department has proposed to raise a separate battalion for providing security at airports.
Official sources in the Home Department told The Hindu that a proposal was mooted to establish the separate battalion of a few hundred personnel for manning security at airports in the State and the proposal was “under active consideration” of the government.
Now under KSISF
Currently, the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF), which was established about a decade ago, has taken over security of the six State’s commercial airports of Mangaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, and Bidar.
KSISF was raised on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force to provide security to vital installations such as public sector undertakings, power plants, Vidhana Soudha, dams, and even major private sector firms in the State.
As more than a dozen airports would become operational in the coming years, there would be a need for a specialised trained personnel for managing airports to ensure security of passengers and infrastructure, sources said.
The proposed new battalion would be deployed only at airports. The State government has allocated lands and funds for developing seven airports - Shivamogga, Vijayapura, Ballari, Raichur, Hassan, Koppal, and Davangere.
To HAL too
Besides, the Union Ministry for Civil Aviation has written to the State government to provide KSISF security at HAL Airport in Bengaluru. The Director of the Government Flying Training School (GFTS) at Jakkur in the city too has urged the government to provide security to the school.
Besides HAL airport, GFTS, and the upcoming seven airports, the trained battalion would also be deployed at airports which are currently guarded by KSISF.
A sum of ₹450 crore had been sanctioned to the airport at Shivamogga and it would become operational by this year end. Airports at Vijayapura and Hassan would become operational in 2023 and the government has sanctioned ₹220 crore and ₹193 crore respectively, sources said.
