New coastal police station to be set up in Mumbai

Following the Union government’s approval, the Mumbai police are scouting for a place to set up its new coastal police station in the western part of the city.

Following the Union government’s approval, the Mumbai police are scouting for a place to set up its new coastal police station in the western part of the city.

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The station is expected to boost coastal security which has assumed significance after the 26/11 terror strike.

According to sources, some areas in Gorai and Aksa beach have been surveyed and the site for the station will be finalised soon.

Krishna Prakash, additional commissioner of police (South Region) said: “Coastal policing is a very important part of policing. One coastal police station (Mumbai Sagari) has already come up in the city while the plan to start the second coastal police station is under way.”

Mumbai district has a coastline of 114 kilometres of which Mumbai police have to man the first 12 nautical miles of the coastal waters.

The Coast guards and the Indian Navy take over the security of the shore beyond that.

Currently the port zone, which looks after the coastal security of Mumbai, is divided into four police stations: Yellow Gate, Wadala, Sewree and the Mumbai Sagari (at Mahim).

Sources say that having just four coastal police stations is not enough. Hence, the police had requested for the sanctioning of another coastal police station.

The new police station would not only serve the purpose of patrolling or anchoring the patrolling boats of the coastal police but it could also serve as a base for launching operations of any kind in the future, sources said.

After the 26/11 attack, setting up of coastal police stations on the littoral waters in the state was planned in two phases. In the first phase, 12 police stations were set up across the districts in Konkan including Mumbai.

In phase two, seven new coastal police stations will be set up. The new coastal police station will cost around Rs 441 lakh.