Chidambaram inaugurates NSG hub in Mumbai

Over three years after the deadly Mumbai terror attacks, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today inaugurated the National Security Guard's regional hub here, saying presence of the elite commando force will boost confidence among the people.

Over three years after the deadly Mumbai terror attacks, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today inaugurated the National Security Guard's regional hub here, saying presence of the elite commando force will boost confidence among the people.

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The NSG campus at Marol in suburban Andheri, spread over 22 acres, houses 240 commandos and nine officers. It will allow NSG teams to reach any part of the metropolis in less than 50 minutes. The NSG unit in Mumbai, set up after 26/11, was earlier operating from a temporary shelter.

This is Manesar-headquartered NSG's fourth regional hub after Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

The Minister said a NSG training centre in Hyderabad will be ready in the next few years as the Andhra Pradesh Government had handed over 600 acres of land for this purpose.

"The land in Hyderabad has been acquired and work has already begun. I am happy to share that the Government of India has, under the 12th Plan beginning April, allotted Rs 1,266 crore to NSG for development of its infrastructure in Delhi and other locations," Chidambaram said.

The delay in arrival of NSG commandos from Manesar near Delhi on the night of November 26, 2008 was cited as the main reason why the terrorists managed to have a free run.

While the first shots were fired by the terrorists around 9.30 pm, the NSG teams arrived in the city only post midnight. By the time they launched combat operations sometime in the morning the next day, the terrorists had secured their positions for a prolonged battle.