The Indian Air Force has mounted unprecedented air defence surveillance and protection with adequate ground support from the Army ahead of the Commonwealth Games that get under way here on Sunday.
The overall security management for the multi-discipline event is being coordinated by the Union Home Ministry with Delhi police capacity being augmented by police from Central paramilitary forces.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday reviewed the security arrangements and saw for himself the preparations in the control room located inside the North Block.
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The IAF plan provides for holistic air defence against all conceivable aerial threats, official sources said here, adding that its radars along with those of the Airports Authority of India will scan the skies round-the-clock.
Besides perceived conventional threats from hijacked aircraft, low speed and high speed aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), it envisages unconventional threats including those from micro-light aircraft, para/hang gliders, balloons and remote flying aero-models.
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The Delhi police have been trained by the IAF to detect low-altitude flying objects, especially in urban areas, which police snipers would bring down while two IAF UAVs will be hovering between 6,000 feet and 10,000 feet to gather input on any intruding aircraft.
The airspace will be closed for all unscheduled flights during the Games.