In a letter signed by Union Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik, the ministry said the complete pull‑out of the CISF from the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) is set for 17 November 2026, following clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs on 18 August under Section 14(2) of the CISF Act.
The Home Ministry’s order, based on a proposal from RINL, gave a three‑month notice and covers all 1,329 sanctioned CISF posts at the plant – 1,033 in the security wing and 298 in the fire wing – and directs the force to recover any pending dues before it departs.
Under the CISF Act, the force is deployed on a full‑cost recovery basis; RINL’s annual outlay for the CISF has ranged between ₹150 crore and ₹200 crore. The ministry’s request for free‑of‑cost APSPF deployment is intended to save the steel company that amount.
The ministry highlighted the plant’s size and the critical nature of its installations, saying alternative security arrangements must be in place well before the CISF’s exit to ensure operational continuity and an orderly handover.
RINL has already posted a limited number of Andhra Pradesh Special Police personnel at key locations as a stopgap, but the ministry is seeking a larger, early deployment of APSPF staff at no cost to the company.
Plant employees and trade unions have alleged that the CISF’s withdrawal is driven by RINL’s financial distress rather than a reduced security requirement, noting that private security agencies lack the statutory powers of the CISF to arrest without a warrant, detain suspects or conduct searches.