As part of an initiative to increase maritime domain awareness perceived urgent in the backdrop of the 26/11 Mumbai attack during which terrorists took advantage of unprotected sea routes beyond the west coast, a chain of radar sensors are being put in place along the Indian coast, including Odisha’s 480-km-long coastline.
While addressing issues pertaining to coastal security, the Union Cabinet Secretary recently held videoconference with the top brass of the State administration in this regard, said sources.
As the State Government is dealing with the security aspects on the coast through its Marine Police, it is very essential for the former to have access to electronic and optical surveillance reports, sources in State Government said.
“There should be a seamless information exchange mechanism between the State Government and the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guards for effective monitoring of coastal security,” said a senior official of the State Home Department, adding that this, in turn, will help out the Marine Police to keep a watch on the movement of the vessels.
Notably, coastal security is maintained through 18 existing Marine Police Stations here which have been sanctioned by the Union Government in two phases. Issues of Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) assume significance especially when the Union Government is stressing full proof security on the sea front.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is implementing this ambitious programme which will help giving a comprehensive radar picture of all maritime traffic in the region.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which is handling the coastal security is in constant touch with MoD, sources said, adding that Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have joined hands to implement the project under which as many as 46 Radar Stations have been set up in Phase-I.
Subsequently, 38 Radar Stations in Phase-II will being set up along with the Indian Coast to ensure electronic and optical surveillance of areas with high sensitivity and high traffic density along with the coast up to a range of 25 nautical miles, sources familiar with the development said.
Both the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea coasts are being covered with the CSN in order to ensure near gap-free electronic surveillance of the entire coastline. In the Phase II also several Mobile Surveillance Systems will be put in place and it will provide accurate information regarding the movement of ships, trawlers and other vessels. Top cops engaged in Marine Policing are unsure about the impact of the radars to locate the movements of small and tiny vessels like dinghy, which moves along with the waves. This concern is needed to be taken care of as the attackers of 26/11 Mumbai attack entered through dinghies, pointed out a top cop.