NEW DELHI: Strengthening surveillance on India' over 7000 km long coastline, Ministry of Defence on Tuesday approved 38 additional coastal radar stations with the cost of Rs 800 crore.
Defence Acquisition Council, the highest body for approval of defence program led by Defence minister Manohar Parrikar gave its nod to the acceptance of necessity of 38 radar stations aimed to give gapless electronic surveillance of Indian coastline. Coastal surveillance network is part of the measures security agencies took as fallout of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. And today's approval is phase two of the project which already has 46 existing such coastal surveillance stations.
In addition, MoD also approves four mobile surveillance stations along with integration of vessel traffic management systems in two places on Gujarat coastline.
"Coastal surveillance mechanism strengthened after 26/11 Mumbai terror. Vessel traffic management systems integrated at Kutch and Khambat, as part of the surveillance mechanism," said an official
For the project Bangalore-based Bharat Electronics Limited will be the lead integrator shortlisted by defence ministry.
Parrikar headed the first DAC meeting in South Block after the budget, as he was busy on electioneering in his home state Goa.