The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has begun conducting a security survey of the Parliament premises, officials said on Thursday, calling it the first step before the agency takes charge of security, days after a worrying breach when two men reached the Well of Lok Sabha and set off smoke cannisters.

Read here: Days after breach, CISF conducts security survey of Parliament complex

While no formal handover of security has been announced, a person aware of the matter said such a move is expected and once formalised, the agency will put in place the sort of security protocols in force at the country’s airports, which too it guards.

“A security survey has been ordered by the headquarters. Separately, the fire unit of the CISF will also be part of the security survey. This is the first step before the paramilitary force takes over the security. We are yet to be told if the home ministry or the Speaker’s office has issued any such order for the force to take over security,” said an officer, who asked not to be named.

On Thursday afternoon, a team of CISF officers arrived at Parliament to start the survey.

At present, the security of the Parliament complex is handled by the in-house, Parliamentary Security Service (PSS), the Delhi Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The three have specific duties, with the first agency guarding the inner-most layer.

On December 13, the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, two men walked through three layers of security with smoke canisters concealed in their shoes, vaulted into the Lok Sabha from the visitors’ gallery and set off yellow smoke before being overpowered by the MPs.

The breach triggered a political firestorm and led the Lok Sabha Secretariat to suspend eight security personnel for lapses and request the home ministry to conduct a detailed security review of the complex, the second such exercise in 22 years.

Headed by the joint secretary (security), the PSS is an independent agency that reports to the Lok Sabha Speaker. The post is vacant since 1997 batch Indian Police Service officer Raghubir Lal was transferred from the post on November 2.

The joint secretary (usually an Inspector General rank) is aided by two deputy IG rank officers, who are appointed as directors of security for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The directors are usually officers on deputation from paramilitary forces. The sanctioned strength of the PSS is 930.

While the police control access to the area surrounding the complex, paramilitary jawans guard the outer perimeter of the complex. Inside, it’s the PSS and Delhi Police in charge. PSS has three levels of security check for any visitor – at the entrance of the Parliament complex right before guest passes are made, at the gate of the new Parliament building, and right before the visitor enters the gallery.

A thorough checking is meant to take place for visitors at every level and they are not allowed to carry any item, including pens or books, inside the House. PSS escorts visitors who come to watch the proceedings on the basis of a recommendation of an MP. The review will now determine how the two men managed to pass through these checks.

“It is unclear if the CISF will secure the Parliament with Delhi Police or independently. The CRPF personnel at the Parliament, who are part of the Parliament Duty Group (PDG), are posted there to deal with any terror attack or infiltrators. Delhi Police and PSS are currently involved in frisking visitors at the complex. During the survey, a detailed report will be presented on the number of people needed, the infrastructure at each point, and the coordination related to entry and exit gates,” the official quoted above added.

According to an internal communication of the CISF, seen by HT, the headquarters on Wednesday asked the inspector general of the National Capital Region (NCR) to conduct a “joint survey of the Parliament and its buildings.”

The officer has also been directed to rope in personnel from the agency’s fire unit, survey the complex, complete the security and fire surveys, and submit a report to the headquarters as soon as possible.

The CISF’s fire wing has around 8,000 personnel.

It is the only paramilitary force to have a separate fire unit that provides fire protection cover to at least 104 government public sector undertakings.

With a strength of around 200,000 people, CISF provides security to airports across the country, metro stations, and at least 356 vital sensitive installations such as coal mines, and nuclear and power plants. Many government installations in left-wing extremism (LWE) areas of Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) are also secured by the CISF.

Read here: CISF roped in for Parliament security after Dec 13 security breach

In these roles, the CISF is better equipped to handle large volumes of visitors. At airports, they use X-ray scanners, hand-held metal detectors, and door frame metal detectors and ensure that prohibited items do not pass through. The two men involved in the security breach at the Parliament last week had customised their shoes, hid the canisters in it and smuggled it inside the Parliament.

The Delhi Police is probing the case of the alleged breach and the director general of the CRPF is conducting an inquiry on what led to the lapses.