Vulnerability of coastline in focus

New Delhi: Even as elite commando units from the Navy and the National Security Guard mounted operations to flush out terrorists from the Taj and Trident-Oberoi hotels on Thursday, security and intelligence agencies stressed on the vulnerability of India’s 7,516-km coastline along nine States and four Union Territories.

Though the “Coastal Security Scheme” was launched in March 2006 by the Union Home Ministry, the breach of coastline in Mumbai on Wednesday by terrorists showed they could enter through the gaps. As Mumbai’s nightmarish terror attacks began and the security and intelligence agencies apprehended its gravity, arrangements were made to fly the first lot of commandos in an IL-76 military transport aircraft, owned by the Aviation Research Centre of the Research and Analysis Wing, at 3 a.m. Along the coast from Mumbai to Gujarat, ships were being intercepted and checked by the Navy and the Coast Guard. Sources in the Home Ministry said the Coastal Security Scheme was being given top priority for setting up 73 coastal police stations, 97 check posts, 58 outposts and 30 barracks. About 50 of the 73 approved coastal police stations had already been made operational, the sources said. Under the scheme, the coastal police stations were to be equipped with 204 boats, 149 jeeps, 312 motorcycles for increasing mobility of the police personnel on the coasts and in close coastal waters. The scheme has been reviewed by the Home Ministry from time to time. The Coast Guard has also been imparting training to different State police personnel in mounting maritime vigil.
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