Chidambaram for timely delivery of interceptor boats

NEW DELHI: In an effort to ensure foolproof security along the coastline, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday reviewed the progress in manufacture of high-speed interceptor boats, which can go as fast as 140 nautical miles per hour, and stressed on their timely delivery.

At a meeting with CMDs of Goa Shipyard Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata, Chidambaram took stock of the progress being made in the manufacture of the boats, which are being made with the technological help of a Greek ship building company, and their timely delivery.

"While noting that delivery of boats has commenced from April, 2009 and 13 interceptor boats have been dispatched to States and UTs, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Goa, Lakshadweep and others, Chidambaram underlined the need to ensure that there are no slippages in time-lines," a Home Ministry statement said.

The Home Ministry had given orders to the two public sector undertakings to manufacture 194 high speed boats. Of these 85 are five tons vessels while rest are 12 tons, sources said.

The state-of-the art patrolling boats can pick up a speed of more than 140 nautical miles per hour (260 km per hour) and carry up to 10 people on board. The boat with dual jet engine costs approximately Rs 2.3 crore and comes with sophisticated GPS, a radar, a powerful search light and binoculars.