CISF To Get Bulletproof Vehicles To Counter Terror Threats At Delhi Airport
In a bid to strengthen the security at Delhi airport, authorities are procuring a fleet of bulletproof vehicles.
New Delhi, August 3: In a bid to strengthen the security at Delhi airport, authorities are procuring a fleet of bulletproof vehicles. According to a report published in Hindustan Times, the step has been taken to counter vehicular and lone-wolf attackers inside and near the surrounding areas of the airport. These vehicles are to be handed over to Central Industrial Security Force's (CISF) Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs), which will be the first ones to tackle the security threat.
According to the report, The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), operator of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), bought the vehicles after the Bureau of Civil Aviation recently approved its specifications. Currently, the CISF has no bulletproof vehicle in its airport security unit. However, senior officials of the forces said that the procurement of these vehicles is in an advanced stage.
The report states that each unit will cost between Rs 25 to 40 lakh and will have a light machine gun mounted on it. The vehicles will also be bomb resistant. A senior CISF officer told Hindustan Times, “The Delhi airport falls under the category of hypersensitive airports of the country. In the event of a vehicular terrorist or lone-wolf attack, these multi-utility-vehicles will be the only resort.”
These vehicles will enable commandos to get hold of the attacker without coming in the direct line of fire. The officer confirmed that the force had asked for seven such vehicles, which will be procured by the DIAL for the CISF. Authorities planned to buy the vehicles after they received intelligence inputs of a possible terror attack. It is speculated that these vehicles will arrive before the independence day.
In April, a report surfaced in the media, according to which, only six out of 59 airports guarded by the CISF are equipped to diffuse and dispose of explosives. Earlier, the CISF has also demanded new bulletproof jackets as the current jackets are incapable of withstanding bullets fired from AK 47 assault rifles.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 03, 2018 04:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).