The Central Industrial Security Force, which guards everything from Delhi Metro stations to coal mines and nuclear facilities, is redrawing its command map. From November 1, 2026, the CISF will drop its largely geographical structure and organise its field formations by industry, with dedicated sectors for power, coal, steel, petroleum and natural gas, and ports. The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the change, the force said on October 18.
Why the CISF is changing its structure
Until now, most CISF sectors were defined by territory. A sector headquartered in one city supervised every unit in its region, whether that unit protected a steel plant, a thermal power station or a museum. The trouble is that each of these installations faces very different risks. A refinery has fire and explosion hazards, a port has to follow international maritime security rules, and a coal mine has its own operational challenges.
Under the new model, establishments in the same economic or strategic sector will come under one common command, regardless of where they are in the country. The CISF says this will sharpen oversight, build sector-specific expertise and standard operating procedures, make security practices more uniform and improve coordination with the ministries and managements that run these installations.
The idea is not entirely new for the force. Over the past 25 years it has already used a functional approach for airports and for strategic establishments under the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Space. The November 1 change extends that logic to the rest of the force.
Old sectors and their new names
| Existing sector (headquarters) | New sector from November 1 |
|---|---|
| NCR Sector (New Delhi) | Government Buildings, Museums and Monuments and Mass Rapid Transit System (GBMM & MRTS) Sector |
| North Sector (New Delhi) | Power-I Sector |
| North Eastern Sector-II (Kolkata) | Power-II Sector |
| Eastern Sector (Ranchi) | Coal Sector |
| Central Sector (Bhilai) | Steel Sector |
| North Eastern Sector (Guwahati) | Petroleum and Natural Gas Sector |
| Western Sector (Mumbai) | West Coast Port Sector |
| South Sector (Chennai) | East Coast Port Sector |
| DAE & DoS Sector (Bengaluru), Airport Sector-I (New Delhi), Airport Sector-II (Bengaluru) | No change |
Ports get two dedicated commands
The clearest sign of the force's changing priorities is the creation of separate West Coast and East Coast Port sectors. The CISF has been recognised as a Recognised Security Organisation for port facilities under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, and the Centre has designated it as the nodal security force for India's seaports. The country has around 250 major and minor ports, and the CISF already secures 13 major ports, including Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra and Mundra in Gujarat.
Splitting port security along the two coastlines should help the force build specialist teams that understand ship movements, cargo screening and maritime rules, and work more closely with port authorities.
Metro, monuments and the skies
The renamed GBMM & MRTS Sector in New Delhi will look after government buildings, museums, monuments and mass rapid transit systems, including the Delhi Metro, which handles a huge daily footfall. Separately, the CISF has been named the nodal agency for aerial security of critical infrastructure, a role that has grown in importance as drones become cheaper and more common. The force says it is building cyber security, drone and anti-drone capabilities through training and tie-ups with premier institutions. It has also taken over security at high-security correctional facilities in Jammu and Kashmir.
What it means for ordinary people
For commuters, travellers and visitors, the change will not be visible overnight. CISF personnel will still be at airport gates, metro stations and monuments. But a command that deals only with transit systems or only with ports is likely to standardise drills, screening practices and emergency responses across cities. Over time, that should mean more consistent security procedures, whether you are entering a metro station in Delhi or a port area in Chennai.
For public sector companies in power, coal, steel and oil, the new structure gives them a single CISF command to coordinate with, instead of several regional offices.
What happens next
The new sectors formally come into effect on November 1. Over the coming months, the CISF is expected to align its training, deployment patterns and standard operating procedures with the industry each sector protects. Raised in 1969 and headquartered in New Delhi, the force today protects airports, seaports, atomic energy and space establishments, power and steel plants, coal mines, oil and gas installations, government buildings and metro systems across the country.
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