Rajnath Singh inaugurates new Coast Guard facilities in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry

CHENNAI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday inaugurated a new rescue coordination centre and two units of the Indian Coast Guard here and in Puducherry.

Singh inaugurated the Coast Guard's new Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and the Regional Marine Pollution Response Centre (RMPRC) here and a Coast Guard Air Enclave in Puducherry, through remote mode.

"The new Coast Guard MRCC situated near Napier Bridge in Chennai, constructed at a cost of Rs 26.10 crore, will be an iconic structure facilitating the enhanced coordination for rescue of mariners and fishermen in distress at sea.

"The MRCC is installed with latest equipment for distress monitoring through terrestrial and satellite systems and are also equipped with advanced communication systems for real-time management of alerts by highly trained personnel of Indian Coast Guard specialising in search-and-rescue procedures, with rescue aircraft, ships and other facilities," a PIB (defence ministry) release said.

The new MRCC will serve as the nerve centre for coordinating all maritime rescue operations on the east coast of India and beyond, ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian fishermen and mariners, it said.

The RMPRC, based at Chennai Port premises, is the "first-of-its-kind facility for coordinating response against marine pollution, particularly oil and chemical pollution, in waters adjoining the coastal states in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)."

The creation of this centre was first announced by Singh during the maiden Indo-ASEAN meeting held in Cambodia in November 2022, the release said.

The setting up of this centre was spearheaded by Coast Guard Regional Headquarters East at its premises within Chennai Port. The RMPRC will have an Emergency Response Centre (ERC) which will be manned round-the-clock by Coast Guard personnel to monitor marine oil pollution incidents.

It will also impart training in pollution response techniques to various organisations such as ports, oil handling agencies, government organisations and private participants. Apart from this, RMPRC will also train personnel from friendly foreign countries in combating oil pollution at sea.

The practical training at RMPRC will involve actual deployment of various oil handling equipment, for maximum exposure to real-time oil spill scenarios, it said.

The Coast Guard Air Enclave at Puducherry marks a significant milestone for ICG and will play a vital role in maritime security along the Puducherry and South Tamil Nadu coast.

"The Air Enclave will be equipped with Chetak and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) squadrons. Both these helicopters are indigenously built and are capable of carrying out maritime patrol, search-and-rescue and other such missions both from land as well as from Coast Guard ships patrolling at sea," the release added.