New Delhi, October 8: The total outstanding of the CISF towards AAI-run and private airports stands at Rs 1748 for providing security, Central Industrial Security Force Director General Rajesh Ranjan said on Monday. The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi has outstanding bills of Rs 778 crores, the top official of the CISF that provides security to 60 of the 98 operational airports in India.

"An amount of Rs 90 crore is due to CISF by the airports under Airport Authority of India (AAI)," Rajesh Ranjan said at a press conference. "Private airports are due to pay Rs 880 crore and Delhi airport has to pay Rs 778 Crore to CISF," he added. Ranjan also announced the CISF will soon take charge of Kerala's Kannur airport.

Earlier in June, the CISF asked new bulletproof jackets for its personnel deployed at airports as the current jackets are incapable of withstanding bullets fired from AK 47 assault rifles. It wants to procure 1,500 new jackets because the jackets procured by CISF in 2011 could be pierced by bullets fired from a close range, which could hurt security personnel.

In April, an audit conducted by the paramilitary agency made a shocking revelation that only six airports guarded by the CISF are equipped to diffuse and dispose of explosives. The report raised concerns over the security of the airports and safety of passengers. Airports in Delhi, Mumbai Chennai, Kolkata, Cochin and Hyderabad are equipped with bomb detection and diffusal squads. Airports in rest of the country don't have the important security equipments.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 08, 2018 01:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).