NSG to have permanent structures at new hubs by next year

NSG commandos deployed at their new hubs in four cities and currently housed in temporary locations will have permanent structures at their earmarked lands by next year.

The permanent structures and multi-storey buildings will come up by next year at these places, National Security Guard (NSG) Director General N P S Aulakh said.

Till the permanent structures come up, the commandos will be housed in pre-fabricated structures by mid-December this year at their designated lands, he said.

"The National Building Constructions Corporation (NBCC) had given us the deadline of November 30 for completion of pre-fabricated structures and roads etc. At the most, we will move into all the four hubs by second week of December," he said.

The regional hub at Mumbai was operationalised on June 30 while Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata hubs were inaugurated on July 1 by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram this year.

The hubs are located at Marol in Mumbai (23 acres), Nedunkundram in Chennai (85 acres), Trimulghery in Hyderabad (22 acres) and Badu in Kolkata (20 acres).

On the training of commandos, the DG said the force will have commando induction training at its Manesar (Haryana) garrison only, near the national capital.

"We have decided that in order to maintain a very high standard of training and to keep its uniformity, it (training) will be done at Manesar garrison only. This would be the basic induction training which runs for 12-weeks," he said.

"Conducting this training at new hubs or the regional centres may lead to varying standards. The hubs will carry out routine training for men who are stationed there. Hubs will also cater to train state police personnel in the vicinity of their location," Aulakh said.

The DG said post 26/11 terror attacks, they have received "more number" of requests from state police forces to train their men and special commando units.

For the regional centres at Kolkata and Hyderabad-- housing more than 5,000 personnel each -- the land have been identified and the Andhra Pradesh government is "already on the job" to acquire it, he said.

The NSG, in a change of operational procedures, will now have increased coordination between its Army and para-military units during operations.

"There is going to be better synergy between Army and para-military men while carrying out joint training and operations. Heliborne operations are now being imparted to troops of Special Ranger Group (para-military) as was done for Special Action Group (Army).

Talking about VIP security, the DG said commandos on the duty are regularly briefed to enable them to keep their drills and procedures updated.

Aulakh, commenting on the forces' need to induct more men from the Army and central police organisations said, "both the Army and para-military are in expansion mode.
However, we keep informing the Home ministry about the requirement. They are giving us manpower and the Union Home Secretary had met Defence Secretary and this part (new induction in NSG) was also discussed."

The NSG chief, who recently visited the German anti-terror special force (GSG 9) headquarters in Bonn, said the proposal for collaboration with GSG 9 and France's GIGN is "in initial stages and will be taken up with the Ministry of Home Affairs".