Boosting aerial surveillance in Vizag top priority: Coast Guard

VISAKHAPATNAM: Setting up an air enclave near the airport here to boost aerial surveillance will be the top priority, a senior Coast Guard (CG) official said today.

"We were in consultations with the Andhra Pradesh government and few other agencies for acquiring around 8 to 10 acre of land for setting up the enclave," CG Commander, Andhra Pradesh, Anil Kumar Harbola said.

"Setting up the enclave in Vizag is top priority to fulfil the requirement of air surveillance off the AP coast right up to the limits of the exclusive economic zone," he said.

According to the official, currently the CG has only one ship-based aircraft in AP and sometime the aircrafts were deployed from Bhubaneswar or Chennai for surveillance of the state's coastline.

Meanwhile, the official said CG is going to commission five ships in next two-three years.

On the International Fleet Review, which will be held here from February 4-8, Harbola said two formations of aircrafts, two ships and two hover crafts of the Coast Guard will take part in the mega-event.

The CG contingent will also participate in the International City Parade to be held on February 7 here, he said.