With a 1600 km long coastline and many critical installations, Gujarat can be an easy target for terrorists. Keeping this in mind, the Centre in an assessment had earlier said that to secure Gujarat’s very long coastline, there is a need for a regional headquarter of the coast guard in the state.
In a move that will further help strengthen the coastal security of the state, the fourth coast guard regional headquarter in the country was inaugurated by the governor of Gujarat, Kamala Beniwal here on Wednesday.
An official present at the press conference told reporters that the sea around Gujarat has numerous offshore oil platforms and other vital installations, which are vulnerable to attacks and require effective and increased monitoring, patrolling and surveillance.
“It was, therefore, decided to establish a dedicated regional headquarters for Gujarat,” he said. To ensure sustained presence of the coast guard all along Gujarat coast, the regional headquarters (north-west) is supported by a district headquarter at Porbandar and three coast guard front-line stations at Okha, Vadinar and Jakhau.
The setting up of coast guard stations at Pipavav and Veraval in the year 2010 will further strengthen the network. The headquarters will exercise operational control over a number of ships and aircraft such as offshore patrol vessels, hovercraft, fast patrol vessels, interceptor boats and light helicopters.
“All these operational platforms are equipped with modern surveillance systems, sensors, weapons and communication equipment,” officials at the ceremony told reporters. “Okha, Vadinar, Jakhau, Veraval and Pipavav -the five existing stations in Gujarat - will also be equipped with high speed vessels to undertake search and rescue operations,” the official said.
The coast guard is also planning to base more ships, including a helicopter carrying vessel at Porbandar by January 2010, to augment the force level.
