Guwahati: The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) in Assam’s Guwahati on Saturday inducted another well-equipped armoured vehicle for enhanced security of the airport.
With this new addition, two armoured vehicles have joined the Central Industrial Security Forces’ (CISF) Quick Reaction Team’s (QRT) fleet at the Guwahati airport, which is likely to strengthen the CISF to deliver the responsibility of safeguarding the aerodrome more efficiently than ever before.
The previous armoured vehicle, the first in the entire Northeastern region, was inducted at the LGBIA on January 4, 2023.
Handing over the key of the vehicle to the CISF, Chief Airport Officer (CAO) Utpal Baruah said that the security of the airport and its properties is one of the basic responsibilities of the airport operators.
“Creating a secured environment for the airport, its property, resources and its personnel, is one of our basic responsibilities as airport operators. We wish to comply with each requirement of the Aviation Support Group (ASG) as mandated by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. We inducted the first armoured vehicle last year and another today. It will keep the team well-equipped with high morale,” Baruah said.
The Guwahati airport from now on would be guarded by the fleet of Scorpio’s lethal form, the Mahindra Marksman. The Mahindra Marksman is India’s first armoured capsule-based light bulletproof vehicle to provide protection to the personnel of defence, paramilitary and police forces against small arms fire and grenade attacks. It has the capability to be used in counter-terror as well as conventional roles.
The Mahindra Marksman was first unveiled in 2009 and was first put into service by Mumbai Police’s ‘Force One.’ It was then ordered by several other state and central police and paramilitary forces including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and the CISF.
The Mahindra Marksman is deployed by various security forces for counter-terror operations including patrolling in high-intensity areas and conventional operations like convoy protection and riot control.