Visakhapatnam: The Indian Coast Guard is planning to set up air enclave near the airport in Vizag city to boost aerial surveillance. Coast Guard was in consultations with the Andhra Pradesh Government and few other agencies for acquiring around eight to 10 acres for setting up the air enclave. In an interactive session with media on Saturday, Commander of Coast Guard, Andhra Pradesh, Anil Kumar Harbola said that Coast Guard has identified Andhra Pradesh as an important maritime state with a long coastline and rich maritime tradition and history. Presently, the Coast Guard in Andhra Pradesh has only one ship-based aircraft and sometimes the aircrafts were deployed from the establishments of either Bhubaneshwar or Chennai of Indian Coast Guard for surveillance of the AP coast, he added.
Stating that Indian Coast Guard has embarked expansion plan, Mr Harbola said setting up air enclave in Vizag is top priority to fulfill the requirement of air surveillance off the AP Coast right up to the limits of the exclusive economic zone. The Coast Guard is going to commission five ships in two-three years. With rapid inductions of surface and air assets on the anvil, the ICG is expected to grow to a strength of 150 ships and 100 aircraft by 2020 and the manpower strength is also slated to reach 20,000 by the same time, he added.
Two formations of aircrafts, two ships and two hovercrafts of Coast Guard will take part in the International Fleet Review (IFR)-2016 and Coast Guard contingent will take part in the International City Parade (ICP) to be held on February 7 in Vizag, Mr Harbola said. “The Coast Guard saved the lives of 31 people and apprehended four foreign fishing trawlers, which entered into our coast in 2015. Monitoring and surveillance of the longest coast in AP is the biggest challenge before the Coast Guard. Smooth and effective inter-agency coordination with all stake holders also plays a key role in the overall security matrix,” added A.K. Harbola.
