CISF Launches Comprehensive Sensitivity Training for New Recruits at Kolkata Airport
In a significant move to enhance passenger experience, new recruits of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed at Kolkata airport are now undergoing mandatory soft skills and sensitivity training. This initiative, part of a renewed push by senior CISF officials, aims to create a more inclusive and efficient security environment, with special attention to flyers with disabilities and those unfamiliar with aviation security procedures.
Training Focuses on Communication and Congestion Reduction
The training programme, introduced for frontline personnel manning security check portals, is designed to address multiple challenges at airports. Key objectives include reducing congestion, improving communication, and ensuring dignified treatment of passengers during screening processes. According to CISF officials, the programme combines language familiarisation, behavioural training, and disability sensitisation to tackle common pain points at security checkpoints.
CISF personnel stationed at conveyor belts and frisking points are being trained to be polite and guide passengers effectively, a senior CISF official stated during a recent interaction. To overcome language barriers, personnel are being taught simple phrases in Bengali, Hindi, and English, facilitating better interaction with diverse flyers.
Special Emphasis on Passengers with Disabilities
A crucial component of this initiative is sensitisation training for handling passengers with special needs. This includes individuals with mobility challenges, autism, speech impairment, and non-visible disabilities. The training involves workshops conducted by counsellors specialising in mental and physical disabilities, featuring interactive sessions with live demonstrations of assistive devices.
Accounts shared by disabled persons and their families are incorporated into these sessions, focusing on situations that might cause anxiety or discomfort if misunderstood by security staff, the official explained. This approach aims to foster empathy and understanding among CISF personnel.
Pre-Recruitment Training and Practical Skills
Officials highlighted that before joining service, CISF recruits are also trained on respectful communication, use of simple language, and appropriate physical positioning. For instance, they learn to crouch to wheelchair level during frisking to maintain dignity and comfort. Additionally, personnel are being taught basic Indian sign language to communicate with hearing-impaired passengers, further enhancing accessibility.
The training also covers civil aviation guidelines, such as the use of wider frisking cubicles, priority lanes, and minimal reliance on intrusive manual searches. Personnel are educated on conducting frisking without unnecessary removal of prosthetic limbs, emphasising privacy and consent throughout the process.
Bridging Gaps for Inclusive Air Travel
A senior airport official emphasised the importance of such pre-recruitment training in bridging gaps in understanding. With increasing emphasis on inclusivity, this initiative is a crucial step towards making air travel safer, more accessible, and respectful for all passengers, the official noted. The comprehensive training reflects a broader commitment to improving the overall passenger experience at Kolkata airport, aligning with global standards for aviation security and customer service.
