Private vessels will patrol Mumbai coast

The Indian Navy has decided to charter private vessels on a priority basis to tide over the shortage of patrol boats to secure the Mumbai coast from intruders.

The move follows the heightened need for surveillance on the Indian waters after the 26/11 attacks combined with the delay in delivery of interceptor craft by naval shipyards.

The flag officer commanding (Maharashtra and Gujarat naval area) has invited bids for seven fast interceptor craft (FIC). Two of these would be inducted by September and the remaining five by the end of October this year.

Sources in the navy told DNA that the high speed interceptor boats would be deployed along the Mumbai coast to supplement naval vessels already patrolling the high seas.

The suppliers of the vessels would be required to provide the crew and be responsible for keeping the boats in perfect operational readiness. The surveillance men would, however, be from the Indian Navy.

"The priority for us is to secure the seas around Mumbai and Maharashtra. Private boats will be used by the navy for security patrolling till the time we receive our own interceptor boats," said captain Manohar Nambiar, spokesperson for the Indian Navy.