The Coast Guard is awaiting the State government's consent to establish a port for its hovercraft fleet in Chennai.
At present the hovercraft operate in shallow waters off the south Tamil Nadu coast. To induct a surprise element and keep poachers and smugglers at bay, the Coast Guard wants to establish multiple landing and maintenance facilities for the hovercraft.
It has asked the government for land close to the sea and next to the Coast Guard's Eastern Region Headquarters, said A. Rajasekhar, eastern region chief.
Inspector General Rajasekhar said this would also help in better deployment of the resources of the eastern region. Hoping for an early response from government, he said it had always been responsive to the needs of the Coast Guard. Talking to The Hindu on board the offshore patrol vessel ICGS Vishwast, newly inducted into the eastern fleet, IG Rajasekhar said that the Coast Guard was exploring the possibility of leasing twin-engine helicopters for its duties.
Presently, it had a fleet of three twin-engine Advanced Light Helicopters, manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The twin engine helicopters were vital for search-and-rescue missions at sea since they had a longer range than the single-engine Chetaks, the mainstay of search-and-rescue operations.
Once monsoon sets in, the Coast Guard gets about five to six distress-at-sea calls from fishermen and vessels each day.
The availability of a longer range twin-engine helicopter could ensure that more lives are saved.
IG Rajasekhar said that the Coast Guard was looking abroad for leasing out the helicopters.
Earlier, ICGS Vishwast, commanded by DIG S. Parmesh and escorted by fast patrol boat ICGS Jijabai, docked alongside ICGS Sagar even as the incessant downpour persisted with cyclone Laila inching closer towards landfall.
"Things have to go on and as per schedule, rain or shine," said eastern region Chief of Staff R.M. Sharma.
It is eight years since a ship was inducted into the eastern region. "Sarang [an advanced offshore patrol vessel] came to us from the west then," recalled Cmdre (retd.) R.S. Vasan, the then eastern region commander, even as he watched 'Vishwast' dock from onboard the Sagar.