It was an adrenaline rush at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) regional training centre at Arakkonam where the first batch of aviation security trainees’ passing out parade took place on Saturday.

From traditional martial arts to reflex shooting, the commandos put up a great show the highlight of which was the rhythmic march past.

Ms Manu Rani from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, who led the contingent on Saturday, was definitely the star.

The 24-year-old Arts graduate said, “CISF provides an opportunity to serve the country not only in border areas, but also inside the country at various public sector enterprises, industrial outposts, seaports and airports. So I preferred to join this service.”

Ms Manu Rani led the total contingent of 726 assistant sub inspectors including 118women at a ceremonial parade on Saturday.

Marching past the podium with aplomb, where Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh took the salute, the newly commissioned officers were dressed their best in khaki with an attractive bright yellow headgear, scarf and belt.

The parade ground itself was vibrant with red, blue, pink, green, orange, violet and magenta flags.
“We not only trained these officers on operation of X-BIS machines and other sophisticated gadgets, but also conducted English classes to help them communicate freely with passengers at
airports,” said CISF Director General Rajiv.

Mr Ajit Singh noted that airports were also targets of terrorists and it was thus pertinent that specific training was imparted to the CISF, who controlled security at 59 airports in the country.

Feeder airlines for remote cities

The civil aviation ministry is planning to create a fund to help develop feeder airlines and operate them to remote cities in the country while utilising the revenue from metro airports through PPP model to develop smaller airports.

“While we are keen to develop airfields in the northeast, we are also looking at improving connectivity to tier-2 and tier-4 cities across the country, as there are a lot of activities taking place in smaller towns,” said Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh here on Saturday.

Noting that most airlines are not very keen on operating to smaller towns, as it would take a longer time for such routes to become profitable, Mr Ajit Singh said the ministry would chip in to develop feeder airlines to connect smaller cities to bigger ones.

“If we are going to develop Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai as the hub, then we have to have this connectivity to smaller cities,” he added.

He said the ministry is looking at a holistic approach. “In most countries, the feeder airlines get government support at least in the beginning. So, in consultation with the planning commission, we will set up a fund to support the airlines operating to smaller towns and cities. Some states are also implementing a policy where they guarantee some seats over a period of time to allow the airline to sustain itself,” he added.

He further said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) earned about `30 crore from Delhi and Mumbai airports alone in the last financial year. “We are using this money to develop smaller airports. That way, privatisation of metro airports helps the AAI build new airports and expand infrastructure across the country,” he added.

On the Chennai airport, where AAI is carrying out expansion works, Mr Ajit Singh said the ministry is in consultation with the planning commission to find a suitable public-private partnership model.

Ajit wants to see ATC take off

Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said air traffic control (ATC) needs to be given an independent hand.

"The Airports Authority of India (AAI) was earlier constructing only airports. Today, the ATC has become very important especially with involvement of so much of technologies in their operations. There is nothing common between these two functionaries and so the ATC would be given a free hand," he added.

Similarly, he noted that AAI would also be revamped to be on par with the international standards in the aviation industry.

Talking to reporters at the sidelines of the passing out parade of the first batch of aviation security assistant sub-inspectors from CISF facility at Arakkonam, Mr Ajit Singh said, three dreamliners are ready to reach India anytime soon.

"The issue of compensation package to be paid by Boeing to Air India for the delay in delivery of dreamliners is expected to go before the Cabinet in the next five to 10 days,” he said.