The use of sea route by terrorists to reach Mumbai has raised concerns about the security of India’s nuclear establishments, many of which are near the seashore. The heightened concern came on a day when the Union Ministry of Shipping, Road

Transport and Highways issued security measures to be adopted across ports in the country.

The nuclear facilities are some of the most heavily guarded installations as they are considered to be the prime targets for all terrorist groups. Sources said security had been beefed up at all the nuclear facilities and a complete review of security measures will be carried out shortly.

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay, Mumbai, is situated on the sea coast. So are the nuclear reactors in Tarapur in Mumbai, Kalpakkam and Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. All the nuclear facilities are guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) except BARC, which has its own internal security machinery.

On Friday, at a meeting to review security arrangements at ports, Union Minister for Shipping T R Baalu asked the Director General of Shipping to start special security audits across ports to ensure compliance with security measures. The minister asked port chairpersons to “immediately send their security requisitions to the concerned security agencies, especially the CISF”, a ministry statement said.

“The CISF has been requested to deploy a Marine Commando Unit in every port. The CISF is being asked to raise bomb disposal squads and dog squads for each port. The Coast Guard will be authorised to rummage suspicious merchant vessels before they enter the port. Customs would be able to inspect the vessels at the outer anchorage of ports and in the limits of the port,” ministry sources said.

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