Oct 20 2010
The Union Home Ministry is set to initialize a scheme for ensuring improved safety measures in coastlines by integrating radar sensing devices across the coastal areas for tracking terror menace by the sea route. The sensing devices will be integrated as a part of this Rs. 350 crore project, for inspecting the entire 7,517 km coast zone of the country.
The sensors will be fixed in distinct, specific lighthouses which are situated on the coastline of the region, on other states’ coastline lighthouses and on the country’s islands.
Mumbai will be the major area for radar sensor-mediated sea surveillance for the whole of western India. The west zone Remote Operational Station (ROS) encompassing the states Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and the Lakshadweep islands will be established at the Mumbai-based ICG headquarters. The data gathered by utilizing the radar sensing units from all these states will be transmitted to their corresponding Remote Operation Centres (ROC) and will be transferred to the Mumbai-based ROS. The Mumbai-oriented ROS will communicate the data with the other states’ ROS as well as with the apex headquarters. The ROC will be set up at the ICG west zone headquarters located in Worli. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Navy will be in-charge for monitoring the coastal safety measures.
Following the completion of sensor integration process, the ROC will be functional for safeguarding the coastal areas by looking at the sensor data and the sensors have the potentiality to trace the objects that are placed even 15 to 20 miles apart, commented a senior ICG official.
The sensors will be incorporated in about 45 coastline areas and employs a frequency modulated continuous wave technology for its operation even in adverse weather situations. The project is estimated to be functional within six to eight months.
Source: http://www.mha.nic.in