New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has officially taken over security operations at Lengpui Airport, Mizoram’s sole domestic airport, marking a pivotal step in enhancing aviation security in India’s Northeast. This deployment establishes Lengpui as the 69th airport under CISF protection and the first CISF unit in Mizoram, aligning with the Government of India’s initiative to fortify security across civil aviation facilities.
Lengpui Airport, situated approximately 32 km north of Aizawl in Mamit district, serves as Mizoram’s primary air gateway, connecting the state to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Silchar, and Imphal via IndiGo and Alliance Air. Operational since February 1998, it is India’s first large airport constructed by a state government. Featuring a challenging 2,500-meter-long tabletop runway, the airport plays a critical role in boosting tourism, ensuring connectivity, and driving economic growth in Mizoram, known as the “Land of Mountains.”A contingent of 121 CISF personnel, led by a Deputy Commandant, has assumed security duties, with plans to expand to an authorized strength of 214.
This replaces the joint security arrangement of Mizoram State Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), in place since 1999. With 25 years of aviation security expertise, CISF will work closely with local authorities and stakeholders to implement advanced, effective, and passenger-friendly security protocols to counter threats such as terrorism, smuggling, and other unlawful activities.
Mizoram’s strategic location, sharing over 700 km of international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar, amplifies the need for robust aviation security at Lengpui. Its proximity to these borders, coupled with its distance from alternative transport hubs—100 km to the nearest railway head and over 200 km to Silchar’s airport—underscores its importance for both security and connectivity. The airport’s rising passenger traffic further necessitates a dedicated, specialized security force.The CISF’s presence is expected to enhance traveler confidence, attract more airline operations, and support the government’s mission to integrate the Northeast into the national development agenda.
With this deployment, CISF now maintains a security footprint across all Indian states and Union Territories, except Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.A formal ceremony on Thursday at Lengpui Airport marked the transition, attended by Anil Shukla, IPS, DGP Mizoram Police, Vijay Prakash, IPS, IG CISF/APS-I HQ, New Delhi, Deepak Verma, DIG AP (E&NE) HQ, Kolkata, Lalrohlua, Director Aviation, P.U Saidenga, Airport Director, Lengpui, and Harish Singh Nayal, Dy. Commandant, commanding the CISF unit at Lengpui. Representatives from the Airport Wing (GAD), CRPF, Airport Authority of India, IndiGo, Alliance Air, IOC, BPCL, AIASL, AIESL, MET, and other stakeholders were also present.