Securing the seas: Eight years after 26/11 much remains to be done to prevent another attack

It has been eight years since Ajmal Kasab and nine other Pakistani gunmen landed at Budhwar Park and walked calmly into this teeming megapolis to unleash one of the most horrific terror attacks the country has seen. The 26/11 Mumbai attack prompted a massive overhaul of the country’s coastal security apparatus. Under Phase-II of the Coastal Security Scheme, formulated in the context of the fast changing coastal security scenario in the wake of the attack, a vulnerability or gap analysis exercise was carried out by coastal states and Union Territories. On the basis of this, additional requirements for strengthening the coastal security infrastructure were projected. Under Phase-II of the scheme, coastal states and UTs were sanctioned provision of 131 coastal police stations, 60 jetties, 131 four-wheelers, 242 two-wheelers, 225 boats, besides financial assistance to each coastal police station for equipment.

There is currently a three tier coastal security ring to protect the country’s 7,516.6 km coastline, spread across nine states and four Union Territories, provided by the marine police, Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy. The jurisdiction of the coastal police extends up to 12 nautical miles in the sea or territorial waters, that of the Coast Guard extends from the baseline to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone (from 0-200 nautical miles in the sea). The area beyond 200 nautical miles falls under the jurisdiction of the Indian Navy.

The National Committee on Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security (NCSMCS) and the Steering Committee for review of Coastal Security in the Union Home Ministry are meant to meet and review the implementation of the coastal security scheme.

Devil in the detail?

While India’s coastal security apparatus has been beefed up considerably since the 26/11 attacks, there remain gaps in the implementation of the scheme. 

Installation of transponders on fishing vessels, distress alert transmitters and radio beacons on all fishing vessels are yet to be completed in Maharashtra, while unregistered vessels indulging in illegal sand dredging in Palghar, around 90kms to the north of Mumbai, pose a threat to the Tarapur atomic installation, and a large number of fishermen in Mumbai are yet to receive biometric cards from the government.

Apart from regular patrolling of the seas, coastal surveillance equipment has been installed along the coastline. This includes a chain of 74 Automatic Identification System (AIS) receivers, for gapless cover along the entire coast. This is complemented by a chain of 46 overlapping coastal radars in the coastal areas of our mainland and islands.

It is now mandatory for fishermen to carry a Distress Alert Transmitter DAT) and Radio Beaconwhile sailing. However, about 2 lakh fishing vessels are yet to get these. Non-mechanised fishing vessels are of particular worry because they are not equipped with basic wireless radio.

Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard ships like the Fast Attack Craft (FAC), patrol vessels and Fast Interceptor Craft are deployed in a layered shield to interdict terrorists attempting to land on our shores using the sea route.

Palghar: chink in armour? 

An attack through this district could cost as little as Rs 100.  

Between Uttan and Vasai, more than 100 boats transport sand illegally, often passing close to a railway bridge over the Vasai creek, while pleasure rides that pass close to the Bhayander railway bridge offer another opening to would-be terrorists.

Party cruise boats often halt at the Bhayander bridge for passengers to click photographs.

“If measures are not taken, terrorists can enter the creek and place explosives to destroy the bridge,” said Sanjay Meher, a local fisherman. “There is inadequate patrolling along the coast and the creek, and parties are organised on the boats for Rs 4,000-5,000 an hour,” he said. Jayram Pathak, who manages cruise boat operations, said they make sure no one can touch the pillars of the bridge; however, they don’t ask for identity papers from passengers, either. 

Meanwhile, the local Vasai police station says permissions for the boats comes from the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), limiting its own role to patrols. 

Jayshree Kamble, Port Inspector, said the annually-renewable permissions follow MMB guidelines. “If they are found flouting norms we will take adequate action,” said Kamble. As for the Railway Police, AK Shukla,

Commissioner RPF (Western Region), told DNA he would “enquire with our officials regarding the issue and stern action will be taken against offenders if they are found compromising the safety of the bridge.” 

Elsewhere, the focus on development seems to have blinkered security agencies. An upcoming infrastructure port in Nandgaon in Palghar district could also be a potential threat to the Tarapore Atomic Power Plant located along the coastline. 

The captive jetty will attract dozens of vessels, increasing sea traffic close to the power plant, claims Ram Krishna Tandel, secretary of Maharashtra Machhimar Kruti Samitee.

“This was the route that was taken by Lashkar terrorists during 26/11 terror attack. We have raised this matter at several of our meetings with the authorities but they have not taken any note of our concerns,” says Tandel. 

More critically, sand dredging — almost all of it illegal — continues to be a security threat to the Palghar coast with Bangladeshi migrants without identity papers employed as khalasis (dock workers) on unregistered vessels.

The local fishing community claims it has raised the issue with the government, but to no avail. 

Dileep Mathak, founder of Koli Yuva Shakti, comprising members of the fishermen community from Vasai, said “The local fishing boats from our area have been registered, but the vessels which indulge in sand dredging do not have any registrations and most of the khalasis are illegal immigrants.”

Damodar Tandel, president of Akhil Maharashtra Machimar Kriti Samiti, slammed the government, alleging no action has been taken against sand dredging boats and “trawlers without permissions and registrations.

However, Prashant Burde, Inspector General, Konkan Region,  said, “We are taking adequate measures on the coast and patrolling has been conducted on regular basis in the region.”

(Additional reporting by Ateeq Shaikh, Pranali Lotlikar, and Mustafa Plumber)

Badhwar Park: 

Badhwar Park, which was the entry point for the 26/11 gunmen now has a two-guard police watch tower, a chowki with three female constables, and a CCTV camera. The watch tower has two guards, while the chowki has three female constables posted.

However, a constable manning the tower admits that it is tedious to constantly keep staring at the sea. “Now, there is no possibility of any boat being able to enter from this spot. Fishing boats are allowed in waters only after Coastal Police and Navy’s approval,” he said. 

“These fishermen have seen 26/11 closely and hence they are very co-operative and alert. If they find any suspicious activity, they immediately contact the toll free number of 1093 given to them. The fishermen have ID proofs, smart-card documents to prove their nationality. Besides, each boat has a license registration number. Also, boats from each area have a specific coloured-flag, for Badhwar Park area it is yellow,” said another constable. The Badhwar Park fishing village has about 220 boats.

The fishermen, though, tell a a different story. Krishna Kumar Meher, Vice-Chairman, Machimaar Sarvodaya Society Limited, said “It has been over a year since the biometric cards haven’t been given to us by the Fisheries Department. The earlier 100 people at least had receipts as a proof, the others didn’t even have those receipts.”

At least two fishermen said the Coastal Police guards were never at their stations at night. “When we cast our nets during the night, no checking of our documents is done. However, when we come back, we are harassed for documents. This takes up a lot of our time and rots the catch.”  

Bandra Worli Sea Link

Two boats have been assigned to the police chowki at BWSL However, both were firmly docked when DNA decided to visit the location. There was only one CCTV camera, and that at a distance from the water. KK Rastrakar, API, Sagri Police, Bandra Worli Sea Link, said the prime focus is on illegal boats or any suspicious activity on the water.

Sassoon Docks

Sassoon Docks is supposed to have guards from the Colaba Police, Coastal Police and Bombay Port Trust. However, on the day that DNA was there, there was only one constable at the Coastal Police chowki, one at the Colaba chowki and three at the BPT booth (unarmed). “This is a free port, it is crowded 24/7. It isn’t possible for us to keep a tab on all those who enter the port. There are four entry points and coast guards, customs guards, navy guards and the Mumbai police check the boats in this area,” said a constable there.

Gateway of India

A spot visit at Gateway of India revealed that crowd management at the jetties is negligible. The metal detector doesn’t work, while manual bag checking leads to queues and crowds outside Gateway. There were five male constables but only one lady constable. Besides, there was an unprotected entry point from where one didn’t have to pass through the metal detectors. 

An officer posted at the security check said, “With lesser recruits and long working hours, physical checking becomes tedious and unsafe. During weekends crowd management and performing security checks is difficult. Sometimes the metal detector does not work either. Handheld detectors should be given to improve security parameters. Beside, more recruitments are needed.” ​