VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam port, one of the country’s prestigious ports, is being converted into an impregnable fortress to insulate it against terrorist strikes, leveraging on technology. Even the security at outer harbour is being beefed up.
The Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has upgraded maritime security from level 1 to level 2 during the last two years. To further strengthen the security, the port trust for the first time in the history of ports, is using two dog squads. The dogs were brought to the port after being trained by the Border Security Force at Gwalior. They have been taken around the port for familiarisation of the area.
Apart from installing a radar along with automatic identification system at the signal station, the port now has a bomb detection and defusing squad in the harbour. There are video cameras covering the outer and inner harbour, according to Central Industrial security Forces (CISF) sources.
The port trust has also introduced bio-metric cards to identify the personnel entering the prohibited and restricted areas in the port. ID cards for vehicles are being specially designed. The vehicles will be allowed automatically after the ID cards are detected at boom barrier entry points.
All vehicle movements will be monitored at the signalling station with the help of the radars. An X-ray baggage machine has been installed for the purpose of scanning the baggage of passengers of Andaman and for scanning the crew baggage.
The port has also prepared proposals for installing radioactive detectors. “We are not differentiating onshore and offshore areas of the port. The entire harbour is under constant watch,” a CISF official said.
To check anchorage points, a high speed patrol boat has been hired for carrying out anchorage patrol by armed CISF personnel round-the-clock. The VPT’s Information Technology department has been designated to coordinate and import modern devices for beefing up security, the official said.