5 patrolling boats sent back to maker

The five new speedboats that were added to the fleet of the city’s coastal police last month have been sent back to the manufacturer for the inclusion of a few additional gadgets.

The five new speedboats that were added to the fleet of the city’s coastal police last month have been sent back to the manufacturer for the inclusion of a few additional gadgets.

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The boats are expected to be back in a week's time.

On September 19, the police received five boats from Goa Shipping Yard, which were a part of the 29 speedboats purchased by the government on a budget of Rs 150 crore, each speedboat costing Rs 3.5 crore.

“We wanted the manufacturers to install additional equipment for the safety of the men aboard,” said Quaiser Khalid, deputy commissioner of police (port zone).

A coastal police officer said the boats required better radar enabling them to spot other boats and measure the depth of the sea. The police also want the latest global positioning system and a marine communication device to be installed, which will improve communication with other boats.

“Earlier boats like Koyna and Kaveri which were purchased in 2008 had developed maintenance defects. The engines were not equipped to deal with pollutants in the sea because of which they developed problems. However, these new boats have better and powerful engines,” said Khalid.