Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has announced the purchase of nine all-terrain vehicles (ATV) for patrolling on the beachfront. These vehicles would be purchased at a cost of Rs 34.25 lakh.
The vehicles, according to a government release here on Thursday, would be deployed for patrolling on the stretch between Fort St George to Besant Nagar.
Of the nine vehicles, six would be deployed at Marina, two in Elliot’s Beach and one on the Tiruvanmiyur coast for patrolling.
The ATVs were being purchased for intensive patrolling of beaches in the wake of increasing number of people thronging the beachfront all day long and in the evenings and to help the police to prevent crimes on seashores besides facilitating quick response to protect people at times of distress, she said in the release.
The release further stated that the deployment of vehicles would also prevent infiltration into the state through the sea route, besides helping the police force to discharge their duties in an effective manner.
The chief minister had already announced the purchase of one all-terrain motorcycle and an all-terrain jeep each to all 12 police stations coming under Coastal Security Group in-charge of maintaining vigil over the 1,076 km long coastline of the state extending from Tiruvallur district near here to Kanyakumari district, down south, to prevent smuggling of essential commodities through sea and infiltration of extremist forces into the state, the release added.