The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Wednesday took over the security of Leh's Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport with a sanctioned strength of more than 180 personnel. The unit will be headed by a Deputy Commandant rank officer. With this induction, total units under CISF security cover raised to 349 including 64 airports across the country.
The airport is located in Western Himalayas of the Ladakh region and serves as the main airport of entire Ladakh. During the winter, Leh airport is the only gateway of Ladakh as there is limited connectivity by road due to heavy snowfall. This is the highest altitude airport of India and operates in extreme weather condition. This is the most tourist intensive airport in India.
CISF Director General Rajesh Ranjan was the chief guest of the induction ceremony. Several other guests including Chief Advisor to Lt. Governor of Ladakh Umang Narula, SDG (APS) M A Ganapathy, CISF IGP Leh Ladakh Satish Khandare, ITBP IG Deepam Seth, AAI ED Security Raj K Mallick, CISF IG Vikram Singh Mann, and Airport Director Sonam Norbu, were present on the occasion. The function was also attended by other senior officials of CISF, ITBP, CRPF, Airports Authority of India, representatives of airlines operators and other stakeholders.
During the ceremony, Norbu handed over a key replica to Deputy Commandant, Sanket Gaikwad as a symbol of handing over the reins of security to CISF.
In his address, Ranjan elaborated the dynamics of security at this Hyper Sensitive Airport and emphasized that a coordinated effort is to be made by all government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the security of Leh airport.
After the function, CISF DG along-with other senior officers of CISF and Airport Director, Leh airport had a security-walk around of all the areas of the airport including terminal building and airside.
Earlier, on reaching Leh on August 4, Ranjan interacted with CISF personnel who will be shouldering the security of Leh airport and exhorted them to strive hard to achieve the state of zero-error security. He also inaugurated barracks for CISF personnel and reviewed the administrative and operational arrangements at the airport.
