The hub for some 250 National Security Guard (NSG) commandos, opened by Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday night, is the first of four new centres across the country.
The others in Kolkata, eastern India, and the southern cities of Chennai and Hyderabad open on Wednesday.
After the Mumbai terror attacks on 26/11 last year, a need was felt to have the presence of National Security Guards (NSG) in other metros also for effective and quick response in countering such incidents. Thus, four regional hubs were sanctioned and are being raised and operationalised at Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
The hubs have been established at Marol (23 acres) in Mumbai, Nedunkundram (85 acres) in Chennai, Trimulghery (22 acres) in Hyderabad and Badu (20 acres) in Kolkata. Pre-fabricated and permanent structures are being constructed to station NSG commandos at these locations. The National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) has been assigned the construction work. The state governments including civil and police administration, Airport Authority of India and Army have extended full assistance in the establishment and operationalisation of the hubs within the scheduled time frame.
Chidambaram said he had fulfilled his promise to Mumbai. “I had promised to set up an NSG hub here by July 1. I have kept my word. Mumbaikars can feel safe,” he said, adding he would be inaugurating three more hubs – at Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata – on Wednesday.
Chidambaram said the NSG, an elite force for countering terror and anti-hijack operations, would be able to respond within minutes. “They can requisition an aircraft in minutes and airdrop commandos for anti-terror operations,” he stated. The commandos in Mumbai will, however, not wait for orders from Delhi. Chidambaram said the NSG unit in Mumbai would respond immediately to a call from the state authorities. “If the police and its commando forces fail, the NSG will come to the rescue,” he said.
With the establishing of the hubs, the response time of NSG for countering any terrorist action would be reduced significantly.