MUMBAI: The sea-side Ratnagiri in Konkan region in Maharashtra will have a Coast Guard air station within two years.
Coast Guard Western Region Commandant R V Prasad told this paper that this would be the first full-fledged air station of the Coast Guard in the state and would play a crucial role in maritime surveillance and search & rescue operations.
“The work on the air station will be launched by next year. We have already taken over the non-metro air strip at Ratnagiri. Now, we will go in for additional acquisition of land. The air station once established will help security forces and the Coast Guard to reach out fast to meet any emergency situations.”
Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard Station (ICGS) was commissioned at Ratnagiri by Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, AVSM, Director General Coast Guard, in the presence of Inspector General SPS Basra, Commander of the Coast Guard Region (West).
The ICGS Ratnagiri will function under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (West).
Commandant (JG) B H Kumbhare has been appointed as the first Commanding Officer of the Ratnagiri station.
The new ICGS at Ratnagiri will play an effective role in undertaking joint coastal patrol along with police, Customs and Fisheries Department to thwart maritime security threats.
One such Coast Guard station has been planned at Dahanu near Mumbai.
“The Coast Guard has also plans to double its infrastructure development and trained manpower in the coming years to meet the new challenges faced by the force in the Indian waters,” Prasad added.