Intelligence Bureau to hire 550 ex-personnel at airports

New Delhi: In a bid to ensure smooth functioning of immigration counters at airports, particularly national capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, Intelligence Bureau has decided to rope in 550 former central para-military personnel.

IB has sought details from Central paramilitary forces of officers, in the rank of sub-inspectors, who retired recently. This is the first time that the intelligence agencies would be hiring retired security personnel to help the Bureau of Immigration in clearing passenger rush, especially during peak hours, at the IGI airport.

Home secretary Rajiv Gauba had recently chaired a high level meeting to deal with increased passenger traffic at immigration counters at the city’s international airport.

It was also decided at the meeting to start at least 10 new immigration counters, which have already been made operational in the departure terminal. The former para-military personnel from organisations like the CRPF.

CISF, BSF and ITBP would primarily assist immigration bureau officials in clearing passenger traffic.

The retired personnel would be hired on contract basis for a period of three-years on a fixed monthly salary of Rs 36,000. The recruitment process would be completed by early 2018 and initially deployed at IGI airport though later they would be used at other international airports also.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport airport has witnessed a 30 per cent increase in international passengers in the last two years which has often led to chaos at immigration clearance counters.

In addition, extending e-visa facility to tourists from 160 countries has further added to the chaos at the Indira Gandhi International Airport airport. Officials feel hiring these former  security personnel would provide the much needed respite to international passengers at the IGI airport.