A Coast Guard Station at Karaikal was commissioned on Thursday . This is the fifth Coast Guard station on the Puducherry — Tamil Nadu coastline.
The station was commissioned by Vice-Admiral, Mr M. P. Muralidharan, Director-General, Indian Coast Guard. Inspector General, Mr S.P. Sharma, the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) and senior officials from the Puducherry administration witnessed the commissioning ceremony.
The station is part of ongoing efforts by the Coast Guard to strengthen coastal security along the Indian coastline. It will help augment patrolling along the east coast and prevent illicit activities such as infiltration, smuggling and illegal fishing, according to a Government press release.
The Karaikal station will function under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), through the Commander, Coast Guard District Headquarters – 5, located at Chennai. Commandant Mr P.R. Lochen has been appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Karaikal station, the release said.
Incidentally, the setting up of the Coast Guard station also comes at a time when the Marg Karaikal port is developing rapidly.