Stage is set for CISF to take over Juhu airport

“Today,the CISF DIG is in Mumbai to review the infrastructure available for CISF to take over. Efforts are on to ensure that the induction takes place as soon as possible. A hangar has been renovated to accommodate CISF infrastructure. We have to decide if more needs to be done. It may still take another month or two for CISF to take over the airport,” said a senior AAI official.

The move comes even as Juhu airport prepares to accommodate additional small aircraft operations in a bid to decongest CSIA. It already handles all the helicopter movements out of Mumbai. Currently,around 85-90 operations take place every day. Authorities are also preparing to build a perimeter wall around the airport for better control. The airport will also see security watch towers coming up as an additional measure.

The decision to bring Juhu airport under CISF was taken when the home secretary visited the airport in May last year. Studies were conducted in 2006 and 2009 to see if the CISF could take over the airport.

It is among the largest helicopter base in the country; a large section of the operations are for off-shore purposes by the ONGC. The airport also sees a considerable amount of VIP movement.