Data Fusion Centre to Link Facial Recognition Cameras at Airports, Vital Installations: CISF DG
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has announced plans to link facial recognition cameras installed at major airports to a proposed data fusion centre in Delhi. The initiative aims to enhance real-time monitoring and suspect identification.
CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan made the announcement on Monday during the foundation-laying ceremony of the new CISF headquarters at the CGO complex in Delhi. He stated that feeds from approximately 1.5 lakh surveillance cameras at vital installations across the country, which are under CISF security cover, will also be connected to the centre.
Facial recognition cameras at six major airports—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata—are further proposed to be integrated with the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID). NATGRID is a secure platform that allows police and investigating agencies to access government and private databases in real-time. The Union Home Ministry has encouraged states to use the platform to access datasets including driving licence, vehicle registration, Aadhaar, airline data, bank records, FASTAG, passport and travel details, suspicious transaction reports, railway passenger data, and social media posts.
During the event, Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar highlighted a compassionate disability policy implemented since June 2025. The policy ensures that personnel disabled in the line of duty are not compulsorily retired but continue to serve with dignity, career progression, and full-service benefits.
Mr. Ranjan also emphasised technology-led security solutions. He informed that the Regional Training Centre at Behror in Rajasthan is being developed as a Centre of Excellence for Drone and Anti-Drone Technology. CISF has been designated as the nodal agency for protecting critical infrastructure against rogue drone threats. Additionally, specialised cyber security teams are being trained in collaboration with premier institutions.
The Director-General noted the Ministry's approval for raising the first all-women CISF Reserve Battalion at Nuh, Haryana, comprising 1,024 personnel. He described this as a major step towards empowering women in the force.
