Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s coastal security model has begun to attract national attention, with the West Bengal, Goa and Kerala police expressing interest in replicating its best practices.“We recently received an official letter from the West Bengal police and they are highly impressed with the functioning of our state‑of‑the‑art command‑and‑control centre and have sought our guidance. Goa and Kerala police officers are also in touch with us. We are ready to extend all necessary assistance,” a senior officer of Odisha police’s coastal security wing told TOI.The command‑and‑control centre, operational at the coastal security headquarters in Bhubaneswar, serves as the central hub for real‑time monitoring of coastal activities, coordination of marine and beach patrols, intelligence analysis and rapid operational response. The facility is being integrated with all marine police stations across coastal districts, enabling enhanced situational awareness, streamlined information flow and effective command and control.“Coastal policing was neglected for decades until chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi accorded priority to marine security, particularly to curb infiltration of Bangladeshis. Several projects mooted by former DGP Y B Khurania have been approved, bringing a sea change in coastal security,” the officer said.Additional director general of coastal security Arun Bothra said plans are underway to establish a technical assistance and support unit (TASU) to provide naval expert advisory for the wing. A tender has already been floated to select an agency.“TASU will facilitate integration of Odisha’s coastal security infrastructure with the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, fisheries department, ports, customs and other stakeholders to build a robust and coordinated maritime security network,” another official said.According to officials, TASU will deliver consultancy and project management services for modernization and upgradation of coastal policing. The initiative aims to strengthen Odisha’s maritime security framework through specialized support in infrastructure planning, technology advisory, project management consultancy, strategic knowledge management, marine legal advisory and research‑based policy support.Consultants will evaluate existing police stations, marine operational centres, outposts, jetties, boat maintenance facilities and control rooms. Vulnerability and risk assessments will be conducted for critical coastal locations, fishing harbours, landing centres, ports and strategic assets. Based on these studies, a coastal security infrastructure master plan will be prepared for phased development.The agency will also prepare detailed project reports, feasibility studies, technical specifications and cost estimates for new infrastructure projects.Support will extend to planning marine assets such as patrol boats, floating jetties, repair facilities and logistics infrastructure. The consultant will develop frameworks for infrastructure maintenance and lifecycle management, ensure quality assurance during project execution and monitor progress.
