Gujarat has sought Rs 5 billion from the government to beef up security in its 41 ports located along the state’s 1,600 km coastline, in the wake of last week’s terror attacks in Mumbai, a senior official from Gujarat Maritime Board said today. GMB is the regulating body for Gujarat-based ports.
“The state government has written a letter to the Centre asking for Rs 5 billion to implement coastal security measures in Gujarat-based ports and territorial waters off the state's coastline,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.
He said the state wants to tighten security as primary investigations revealed the terrorists who carried out the deadly attacks in the country's financial capital, had hijacked a fishing trawler off the coast of Porbander.
“The trawler was owned by a Porbander-based fisherman, Vinod Masani. Masani is still being interrogated," said a senior official from the Coast Guard.
Gujarat plans to bring all 41 ports under the International Ship and Port Facility Security code and increase the number of coastal police stations.
"Currently, the ISPS code has been extended only to 10 ports in Gujarat, which includes five GMB ports, four private ports and one major port. If the central government approves the plan, all 41 ports will come under this code," said the GMB official.