The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has asked airport operators at Jammu, Srinagar and Ayodhya airports to install full-body scanners (FBS) on priority, even as a three-month trial of the scanners is underway at four airports, including New Delhi, officials familiar with the matter said. The government also planned to install nine certified full-body scanners at Parliament House.
While the Civil Aviation Security Bureau has asked airports, which handle over five million passengers annually, to use the technology, operators in Srinagar, Ayodhya and Jammu have been directed to get it on priority due to the sensitivity of the airport, an official, requesting anonymity, said. Ayodhya Airport was opened on December 30, 2023, and flight operations commenced on January 10, 2024. Due to its location and passenger traffic of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, it has been classified as a highly sensitive airport.
“Last month, full-body scanners (FBS) were installed at Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Cochin airports. It is part of a three-month trial where every passenger passing through a security point will be screened before boarding. FBS enhances threat detection capabilities by identifying both metallic and non-metallic objects. Currently, CISF personnel are frisking passengers even after they pass through FBS. Deployment of FBS will enhance security, while reducing the need for physical surveillance and also saving time for passengers,” the officer said. Adding that the force at these airports sends reports on FBS every week.
“The results of the three-month trial will guide future policy decisions. Before the trial, the ministry had already set safety standards such that there would be no ionizing radiation, screened using dosimeters and be cyber safe. The scanners are capable of scanning at least 180 passengers in one hour,” the officer said.
Prior to the adoption of FBS scanners at the four airports, BCAS issued a standard operating procedure for their use while protecting safeguards of privacy and operational effectiveness.
CISF cover at Safdarjung Airport
Meanwhile, the CISF on Wednesday took over the security of Safdarjung Airport, making it the 73rd airport under the federal agency’s coverage. Operating as a non-scheduled airport, it serves as a major hub for helicopter transit and flights of senior government officials. A team of 136 specialized commandos took over the security cover mission.
On March 20, 2026, after an airport security review meeting under Home Minister Govind Mohan, the Home Ministry said the security of all highly sensitive airports would be given to the CISF, people familiar with the matter said.
“In a second meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah on April 12, the authorities were directed to ensure that all highly sensitive airports get CISF at the earliest. After Safdarjung, the airports will be in Leh and Bhuj. There are more than a dozen vulnerable airports that have been identified,” another officer familiar with the matter said.
