India’s FIRST State-of-the -Art Coast Guard Academy to Set Up on 158 Acres Land near Kenjar in City
Mangaluru : The Indian Coast Guard Academy (ICGA) is a training establishment for Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel, which provides professional training to Coast Guard personnel who deal with not only coastal security but also assist in search and rescue in times of need. Presently, the Coast Guard personnel are being trained at a small academy in Kochi, Kerala. Indian Coast Guard personnel were historically trained at the Indian Naval Academy (INA). Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Indian government initiated a program to triple the ICG force, assets and infrastructure. Both the Navy and the government recognized that the increased intake of ICG cadets would further tax the already-stretched INA facilities. This provided an added impetus for the Union Council of Ministers to approve the establishment of the ICGA in 2009.
Photo for illustration only
And it is indeed a proud moment for us all, Mangalureans, that the defence ministry has decided to establish India’s first Coast Guard academy in the city, as per the tweet sent by PRO of Defence of Ministry, Bengaluru, where it was stated “India’s first Coast Guard academy to come up at Mangaluru. 158 acres KIADB land taken over for setting up #ICGAcademy. A milestone towards professional maritime training to ICG officers and men & stakeholders,” , which was announced on 19 September.
The 158 acre Land in Kenjar, near Mangaluru International Airport
Indian Coast Guard personnel were historically trained at the Indian Naval Academy (INA). Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Indian government initiated a program to triple the ICG force, assets and infrastructure. Both the Navy and the government recognized that the increased intake of ICG cadets would further tax the already-stretched INA facilities. This provided an added impetus for the Union Council of Ministers to approve the establishment of the ICGA in 2009. The search for a site for the academy started in earnest in 2010. Various sites were considered for the academy, the primary criterion being ample space on the coastal waterfront. The Government of Kerala was keen to host the site in the state.
Consequently, the then Minister for Industries and Commerce of Kerala, prevailed upon the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) to transfer some of its un-utilized land in the coastal town of Azhikkal to the ICG for the academy. The transfer was completed on 24 February 2011. On 27 February, the then Defence Minister of India, A. K. Antony, announced the plans to start construction of the academy.The foundation stone for the academy was laid on 28 May 2011. ICGA was planned to come up on a 160 acres (0.65 km2) campus near Valapattanam estuary on the Arabian Sea in Irinavu near Azhikkal in Kannur district of northern Kerala. It is located about 8 miles (13 km) south of INA, Ezhimala, and the two maritime academies were expected to share some training infrastructure in the Kerala backwaters.
Photo during ADEO- Bengaluru handing over of documents of the 158 acres of KIADB land near Kenjar to ICG, and Commander Venkatesh (far left) of ICG in Panambur as a kind gesture hands over ICG Cap to the ADEO Official
But the project was dropped in 2019 following the denial of environment and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) clearances by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) since the project site at Azhikkal fell within the CRZ-1(A) area where no construction is permissible. As no progress was made until last year, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her former capacity as defence minister, decided to move the project to Kenjar, Mangaluru, following the denial of environment and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) clearances by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) since the project site at Azhikkal fell within the CRZ-1(A) area where no construction is permissible.
But now, the academy has been approved to set up the Academy at Kenjar near Mangaluru. 158 acres of land in possession of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board has been allocated to the Indian Coast Guard to set up the academy, and it was handed over to the Commander in-charge of Indian Coast Guard, Panambur, Mangaluru, today (Sunday, 20 September). The new academy will provide professional training to Coast Guard personnel who deal with not only coastal security but also assist in search and rescue in times of need.
