State approves purchase of 20 new patrolling boats for coastal security
Maharashtra approves ₹118 crore for 20 new patrolling boats for coastal security. Also, ₹26 crore allocated for repairing 22 non-functional boats.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra home department has approved a proposal worth ₹118 crore to procure 20 new patrolling boats to ensure coastal security. The state government has also allocated ₹26 crore for the repair of 22 non-functional patrolling boats.
Out of the 58 patrolling boats in the Maharashtra police fleet, 28 were acquired with central government funding, and 27 were procured by the state government. However, 22 of the boats obtained post the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai have been inactive for several years. In response, the state government has authorised the appointment of a firm for their restoration. According to officials from the home department, the office of the director general of police has been instructed to initiate the bidding process for the procurement of the 20 new boats.
An official said, “The DGP office had proposed the procurement of 30 new patrolling boats and leasing six ISV boats. However, the recent approval from the state government is for the purchase of 20 new boats, with a total allocation of ₹117.6 crore. The bidding process will be undertaken by the DGP office, with expectations for completion within the next year.”
Moreover, the home department has sanctioned funds for the modernisation of one of the three old patrolling boats, with decisions on the remaining two pending based on its performance. Additionally, ₹53.69 lakh has been allocated for the installation of an automatic identification system on patrolling boats to enhance effectiveness in sea and coastal area patrolling.
“Indian Navy has identified 91 sensitive landing points that are being manned by 279 security wardens and 23 supervisors. A committee appointed by the home department will recommend the deployment of more manpower from the Maharashtra State Security Corporation and the installation of more CCTV cameras. Apart from this, the authorities have identified 62 islands, including 50 inhabited ones, that are sensitive from a security point of view. The home department has submitted a proposal for the 11 drones for the surveillance,” said the official.
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