In a first, 150 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandos will be on guard to secure a five-star luxury hotel in Mumbai that gives a sweeping view of the airport runway.
In a first, 150 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandos will be on guard to secure a five-star luxury hotel in Mumbai that gives a sweeping view of the airport runway.
Official sources said on Tuesday that the Union home ministry had recently cleared the deployment of the armed contingent to secure the airside flanks of the hotel Taj Santa Cruz, which is located right next to the domestic terminal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA).
CISF director general Surender Singh confirmed that the sanction for the deployment had been given by the government.
The sources said as the hotel has a USP of having “airport-facing runway” rooms and floors, it was essential to cover that flank from the point of view of any terrorist or saboteur.
“The deployment of the force is on the internal security pattern and this could be a precursor for the force to take up the assignment full time considering the vulnerability of the air operations that are visible from the floors of the hotel,” the sources said.
The hotel is only two minutes’ walking distance from the domestic terminal and 10 minutes from the international terminal of the CSIA. with 279 rooms and suites, it boasts of being the first airport hotel in the country to give the occupants a clear view of the runway. This is the first time the CISF was mandated to take on such duties in the aftermath of the 2008 terror attack.
