Maharashtra Government has given “in principle” nod to build a hoverport around the Mahim creek after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today took a boat ride to examine coastal security and take stock of measures put in place to thwart any 26/11-type terror attack.
The proposal to establish hoverport was put forward by Coast Guard to further intensify patrolling around the coast of Mumbai, which saw a major sea-borne terror attack in 2008.
“The Chief Minister (accompanied by Coast Guard) today took a boat ride from Girgaum to Mahim and then to Vashi to take a stock of coastal security measures.
“The Coast Guard (during the exercise) put forward a request to build a hoverport around the Mahim creek to enhance security in the Arabian Sea,” an official from the Chief Minister’s Office said.
“The Coast Guard officials stressed the need to have a Quick Response Team (QRT) deployed at the hoverport along with an SOS system, that will further strengthen marine security. The CM has given in principle approval to the hoverport project,” he added.
The Government possesses 15-acre land around the creek off Mahim, North Central Mumbai. Of this, 10 acres will be given to the Coast Guard, the official said.
“The Chief Minister will chair a meeting with Coast Guard officials and the Collector on February 4. At the meeting, the Coast Guard will submit a detailed report on Mumbai coastal security. He (Fadnavis) will also look into the nitty gritty of deploying QRT.”
The Chief Minister’s boat ride focused on getting inputs from the Coast Guard about the security apparatus.
“The Coast Guard said there are still some landing points, which are not sufficiently monitored on a daily basis. They also said it becomes a bit difficult to track all the fishing boats and yachts in the sea in the absence of a definite marking mechanism. All these issues will be looked into detail on February 4,” the CMO official added.
