CHENNAI: With the number of Indian Coast Guard patrolling vessels (stationed in Chennai) slowly increasing, the Chennai Port Trust on Sunday announced that it has allotted a 200-meter long Chokkani Jetty for Coast Guard’s exclusive use.
Speaking to reporters after the welcoming ceremony of ICGS Ganga Devi, an inshore patrol vessel re-based to Coast Guard East region from Andaman Nicobar region, K Suresh, chairman of the Chennai Port Trust, said, “The Trust and Indian Coast Guard have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the hassle-free movement of patrol vessels and the allotment of exclusive jetty was part of the understanding.” With the allotment of dedicated space inside the port, Coast Guard could use the jetty for maintenance work of its patrol vessels besides anchoring, Suresh added.
Earlier, Inspector General Surinder Pal Singh Basra, Coast Guard Eastern region along with Suresh received the patrol vessel at the jetty.
Reaching the shore after four-day journey from Port Blair, Commandant Prithi Raj Lochen, Commanding Officer of ICGS Ganga Devi, reported to IG Basra, operational commander of Eastern region. Prior to its re-base to Chennai, the inshore patrol vessel was stationed in Andaman and Nicobar region since its commissioning in 1990.
During these years, the vessel was mainly involved in anti-poaching operations and it played a crucial role in the rescue operations in Nicobar Islands after the 2004 killer tsunami.