By Rajnish Singh

New Delhi [India], October 18 (ANI): In a historic step, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will implement a major functional reorganisation of its administrative and operational structure from November 1 to strengthen specialised security management across critical infrastructure and strategic establishments nationwide.

The reorganisation, approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), will realign the force's existing territorial sectors according to the specific security requirements of different industries and establishments, including power, coal, steel, petroleum and natural gas, ports, government buildings, museums, monuments and mass rapid transit systems.

Under the revised structure, the force said, the National Capital Region Sector will be reorganised as the Government Building Museums and Monuments and Mass Rapid Transit System (GBMM & MRTS) Sector, New Delhi.

The North Sector in New Delhi and North Eastern Sector-II in Kolkata will be restructured as the Power-I and Power-II Sectors, respectively. The Eastern Sector in Ranchi will become the Coal Sector, while the Central Sector in Bhilai will be converted into the Steel Sector.

Similarly, the North Eastern Sector in Guwahati will become the Petroleum and Natural Gas Sector. The Western Sector in Mumbai and the South Sector in Chennai will be transformed into the West Coast Port Sector and East Coast Port Sector, respectively.

The existing Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space (DAE & DoS) Sector in Bengaluru, Airport Sector-I in New Delhi and Airport Sector-II in Bengaluru will continue under their respective functional arrangements.

The reorganisation, it said, aims to improve operational oversight, develop sector-specific expertise, ensure greater uniformity in security practices and strengthen coordination with the concerned ministries, departments and installation managements.

The CISF provides security to a wide range of establishments, including airports, seaports, atomic energy and space installations, power plants, power grids, steel plants, coal mines, petroleum and natural gas facilities, currency note presses, government buildings, iconic monuments and mass transit systems.

Each sector has distinct operational processes, infrastructure, potential hazards and security vulnerabilities, requiring specialised security arrangements.

Under the earlier system, administrative and operational supervision was largely organised on the basis of territorial jurisdiction. Over the past 25 years, the force has progressively adopted a functional approach in selected sectors, including aviation and strategic establishments under the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Space.

The experience gained from this approach highlighted the advantages of specialised supervision, focused training, sector-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), better utilisation of specialised personnel and closer coordination with the concerned organisations.

Building on this experience, the CISF reviewed the supervisory structure of the remaining territorial sectors and undertook the functional realignment following deliberations with supervisory formations, branches at force headquarters and senior officers, before obtaining MHA approval.

The restructuring assumes significance as the CISF's mandate is expanding beyond conventional industrial security to cover new and specialised responsibilities.

The force has been designated as a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) for port facilities under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The functional realignment of port-sector supervision is expected to support specialised port-security expertise and improve coordination with port authorities and other stakeholders.

The CISF has also been entrusted with security responsibilities at high-security correctional facilities in Jammu and Kashmir and designated as the nodal agency for aerial security of critical infrastructure.

The force is strengthening its cybersecurity and drone and anti-drone capabilities through specialised training and collaboration with premier institutions to improve preparedness against cyberattacks, digital threats and hostile unmanned aerial systems.

The reorganisation is expected to establish a more specialised, sector-oriented security apparatus, improve operational accountability and strengthen protection of India's strategic and economic assets. (ANI)