MSSC asks 8 state airports to stop allotting frisking, scanning work to MSF staff

According to officials, the letter was issued in mid-April to the concerned airport operators by the additional director general of MSSC, who was also holding additional charge as managing director of the MSSC then.

According to MSSC officials, there are currently 449 security personnel of various ranks deployed at eight airports — Shirdi, Solapur, Kolhapur, Jalgaon, Ozar (Nashik), Gondia, Sindhudurg and Juhu aerodrome— in Maharashtra.

“At the time of the agreement, it was decided that the MSF staff will be assigned the ‘watch and ward’ duty. Recently, it came to light that the MSF Staff is performing all the security functions viz peripheral security, anti-hijacking measures including pre-embarkation security checks (frisking/screening of passengers and baggage) and other security functions at the Juhu aerodrome, due to which a letter was issued to them,” said an official of the MSCC.

The official further added that no specific mandate was given for frisking and scanning to MSF staff. “Accordingly, in view of the above, it is intimated that the presently deployed MSF staff at all the above airports will not carry out further the job of frisking and scanning functions at the airports after 30 days from the receipt of this letter,” read the letter.

A senior officer working at the MSSC confirmed the development and said, “The letters have been issued to the heads of the airports and we expect that it shall be amended soon.”

The MSF has nearly 9,000 personnel and is responsible for security at 162 sensitive locations in the state, including government establishments, railways, metro stations and civic hospitals