Overview
- Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai will virtually flag off the two-team ride, which starts at Lakhpat Fort in Gujarat and Bakkhali in West Bengal and ends with a convergence in Kochi on February 22.
- Teams will halt overnight in more than 50 coastal villages to enlist residents as “Tat Pari Praharis” and to raise vigilance against narcotics, arms smuggling, trafficking and infiltration.
- CISF officials say about 130 personnel, including 65 women, will participate across 11 coastal states and Union Territories, though some outlets report higher figures.
- Participants have completed over a month of endurance and safety training, with professional cyclists engaged to guide preparation.
- The campaign aligns with CISF’s Recognised Security Organisation role for seaports, a planned Bureau of Ports Security and a proposed port-security vertical that may require 10,000–12,000 additional personnel pending approval.