Ahead of new year celebrations, security tightens along Goa coast

Panaji, Dec 23: The marine law enforcement agencies have intensified patrolling along the Goa coast to avoid any possible terror threat.

"In the run up to the New Year, The Indian Coast Guard, Navy and coastal security police have intensified patrolling on and off the Goa coast," Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General Manoj Badkaar told PTI today.

There is deployment off the coast. Also, bigger ships of Indian Navy are patrolling the western coast. These ships have come from Mumbai and Cochin, he said on the sidelines of the exercise to review the security preparedness.

The Coast Guard officials took state tourism minister Dilip Parulekar for a review in the military Hovercraft, which is capable of travelling over land, water, mud or ice and other surfaces.

Badkaar assured that the coast is adequately secured by the agencies. The Coast Guard officials, who met state government representatives today, requested for land in Goa to set up base to station the Hovercraft.

There are 7 to 8 Hovercraft on the western coast attached to the Indian Coast Guard, Badkaar said. One of the Hovercraft is stationed at Mangalore which can be occasionally based in Goa depending on the requirement.

Parulekar said Goa is looking ahead for a great season and tourists need not worry about the safety issue. "Tight security is maintained by all the law enforcement agencies. The coast is safe," he said.

PTI