CISF scraps territorial commands, puts sectors under specialist control

Replacing territorial commands means the CISF will no longer organise most supervision mainly by geographic jurisdiction. Instead, officers will oversee installations grouped by function, such as power, coal, steel, ports or mass transit. This matters because each industry has different systems, hazards and security weaknesses.

For example, the North Sector in New Delhi becomes Power-I, while the Eastern Sector in Ranchi becomes the Coal Sector. The Western and South sectors become West Coast Port and East Coast Port commands. The mechanism is specialist supervision, supported by focused training, sector-specific SOPs and closer coordination with the organisations being protected.

The change affects eight of the CISF’s 11 sectors and takes effect from November 1. Three sectors retain their existing functional arrangements. The force expects the model to improve oversight, make security practices more uniform and strengthen operational accountability as its responsibilities expand.

The Central Industrial Security Force, or CISF, is responsible for protecting major industrial, transport, government and strategic installations in India. Its work covers more than conventional factories. The force supervises security at facilities that support energy, industry, trade, travel, public transport and national functions.

Its protective cover includes airports, seaports, power plants, steel plants, coal mines, petroleum and natural gas facilities, currency note presses, government buildings, iconic monuments and mass transit systems. It also protects strategic establishments linked to the Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space. The article further notes responsibilities at high-security correctional facilities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The force’s duties are expanding. It has become a Recognised Security Organisation for port facilities under the ISPS Code and the nodal agency for aerial security of critical infrastructure. That broader remit is one reason the CISF is building more specialised capabilities.

The reorganisation covers most of the CISF’s supervisory structure. Eight of its 11 sectors, about 73 per cent, will take on new functional roles. Three sectors will continue under their existing functional arrangements. The new structure is scheduled to take effect from November 1, with the article also describing it as beginning 15 days after the announcement.

The new commands include GBMM and MRTS for government buildings, museums, monuments and mass rapid transit. Power receives two commands. Coal, steel, and petroleum and natural gas each receive dedicated sector commands. Ports receive two commands, covering India’s west and east coasts. The DAE and DoS Sector and two airport sectors remain unchanged.

This is a major shift from regional supervision to industry-focused oversight. The CISF says the approach should build expertise, standardise security practices and improve coordination with ministries, departments and installation managements across these sectors.

Different facilities need different security procedures because their operations and physical environments are not alike. A power plant, coal mine, airport, port and monument each has its own infrastructure, work patterns, access points and possible hazards. Their security weaknesses can therefore vary sharply.

The CISF specifically says every sector has distinct operational processes, infrastructure, potential hazards and security vulnerabilities. An airport or metro system requires procedures suited to mass movement, while a mine or power plant requires attention to industrial operations. Ports have maritime facilities and external stakeholders, while monuments and government buildings have different protection needs.

A functional command allows this variation to shape supervision. Specialist officers can develop focused training and sector-specific Standard Operating Procedures rather than applying one mainly regional model. The intended result is more consistent and suitable security practice, supported by closer coordination with each sector’s organisations.

Placing each sector under specialist supervision is intended to change how security is managed day to day. Commanders can focus on one industry’s systems, hazards and vulnerabilities instead of overseeing unrelated installations grouped mainly by geography. That should make operational accountability clearer and oversight more informed.

The CISF expects focused training and sector-specific Standard Operating Procedures. It also anticipates more uniform security practices within each industry, better use of specialised personnel and closer coordination with ministries, departments and installation managements. The port commands, for example, are meant to build expertise around maritime trade infrastructure and port authorities.

These are intended benefits, not results already measured in the article. The reorganisation begins on November 1, while important implementation details remain unanswered. The statement does not say how many personnel will move, what the transition will cost or whether sector headquarters will change location.

The new port commands have added importance because the CISF has been designated a Recognised Security Organisation for port facilities under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. That designation gives port security a specific organisational context and increases the value of specialised supervision.

The CISF is creating two commands: the West Coast Port Sector, based on the former Western Sector in Mumbai, and the East Coast Port Sector, based on the former South Sector in Chennai. The force says this will fortify India’s maritime trade infrastructure. A functional structure can concentrate knowledge of port operations and security requirements in dedicated formations.

The intended result is stronger port-security expertise and closer coordination with port authorities and other stakeholders. The article does not provide performance results or implementation costs. It presents the reorganisation as preparation for the CISF’s recognised role and its growing responsibilities around maritime facilities.

In this article, critical infrastructure refers to vital installations and systems such as power plants, ports, industrial sites, airports and mass transit. Their protection matters because the CISF has been given security responsibilities across facilities that support energy, trade, industry, transport and public functions. The force is also the nodal agency for their aerial security.

The threat picture is broader than physical intrusion. The CISF says cyberattacks, digital threats and hostile unmanned aerial systems may endanger vital installations. Drones and anti-drone measures therefore require different skills from conventional guarding. The force is strengthening cyber-security, drone and anti-drone capabilities through specialised training and collaboration with premier institutions.

This technology push supports the new functional structure. Specialist commands can develop clearer accountability and more focused preparation for sector-specific threats. The article does not identify particular attacks or systems, but it links the effort to emerging security challenges and the CISF’s expanding mandate.