The Hindu : National : Chidambaram opens NSG’s Mumbai hub

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Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009
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Chidambaram opens NSG’s Mumbai hub

Staff Reporter

Ashok Chavan unfurls NSG flag

Other three regional hubs in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata
A helicopter will be made available to Maharashtra government

— Photo: PTI/Shashank Parade

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram hands over the scroll declaring the operationalisation of the NSG hub in Mumbai to Commando Siddarth Thomar on Tuesday.

Mumbai: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday inaugurated the Mumbai regional hub of the National Security Guard (NSG) at the Police Training Academy here. It will cater to the whole of country’s western region.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan unfurled the NSG flag as its commandos in black uniform marched past, their guns in hand. Mr. Chidambaram handed over the NSG scroll to the commander of the hub Major Siddharth Tomar, symbolising its operationalisation.

Till the completion of construction of its own campus, the NSG will operate from the Police Training Academy. This campus will be spread over 23 acres in Mumbai’s Marol area.

Earlier, there were reports that the NSG had requested for more land (about 100 acres) from the State government. However, NSG Director-General N.P.S. Aulakh said that he was happy with the land that the government had provided. Mr. Chidambaram said: “Land is a finite source, and we must learn to use it economically. Twenty-three acres is more than enough.”

Promise kept

Addressing journalists, Mr. Chidambaram emphasised that he had kept his promise. “After taking over as Home MinisterI had assured that four regional hubs of the NSG will be ready for operations by July 1, 2009. I am glad that we have kept the date. This will increase people’s confidence in the Central and State governments.”

The other three regional hubs in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata will be inaugurated on Wednesday. The NSG earlier operated only from its headquarter at Manesar in Haryana. However, the force took more than nine hours to reach Mumbai during the terror attacks in November last year. Hence the need for regional hubs was felt.

Mr. Chidambaram also said that a helicopter would be made available to the State government under the Megacity Policing project. The NSG would be able to request for this helicopter, or any other aircraft anywhere within its jurisdiction, in case of an emergency.

In such situations, the first respondent would be the State police. The State government could call upon the NSG to deal with hijacking and hostage crises, he added.

Mr. Chavan said that 250 commandos were recruited for the Mumbai regional hub. Mr. Aulakh recounted many of the NSG’s glorious operations since its formation in 1984. “With the operationalisation of the Mumbai hub,” said Mr. Aulakh, “the reaction time would come down to half an hour in the city.”

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