"The stations should be ready in a month's time. Many policemen have been given training on board ships and coaching in deep-sea swimming. We will be taking over the buildings as soon as the Tamil Nadu police housing corporation finishes constructing them. The work is progressing fast and senior government officials are monitoring the growth every month," Mr. Seshadri said.
These marine police stations have been established in all coastal states under a Union government scheme. Each station will receive two well equipped vessels, costing Rs 3.5 crore. In total, the Centre will be providing 24 vessels to the state police and will also bear the fuel expenses for the first five years, said senior police officials.
In Tamil Nadu, the Nagapatinam district will have three marine police stations, while Tanjavur, Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram districts will have two each. And the Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts will have one marine police station each. "Each police station will have 42 policemen attached to it," the officer said. Currently, the state does not have any marine police station, expect the B6–Port Marine station, attached to the city police and managed by the Chennai port trust. It maybe recalled that in January, the police arrested five persons and seized three tonnes of steel ball bearing that were being smuggled to the LTTE. In February, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted an explosive laden boat near Kodiankarai (Point Calimere) and held a hard core LTTE member and four others. The Tamil Nadu police and the Coast guard later destroyed the fibre boat after its sides were found to be stuffed with improvised explosive devices. Incidents like these have heightened the need for marine police stations.