Chennai, Jan 19 (PTI) This year, CISF’s ‘Vande Mataram Coastal Cyclothon 2026’ will halt overnight in select villages to deepen the interaction with the public about national security and blue economy,
said officials.
The second edition of the flagship event of CISF, aimed at boosting coastal security awareness and national unity, will be flagged off virtually by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on January 28.
Speaking to reporters here, S R Saravanan, Inspector General, CISF South Sector HQ Chennai, said the cyclists are expected to reach Chennai from Bakkhali in West Bengal on February 12 -13.
“In Tamil Nadu, we are starting from Chennai, where we will stay overnight in two villages and then we move on to Pondicherry and Karaikal. We will then go to one village each in Adirampattinam, Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari,” added Saravanan.
Covering 6,553 km along India’s mainland coastline over 25 days, the event themed ‘Surakshit Tat, Samriddh Bharat’ (Secure Coast, Prosperous India) involves two teams of 130 CISF personnel, including 65 women, starting simultaneously from Lakhpat Fort in Gujarat’s Kutch and Bakkhali in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas.
The teams will converge in Kochi, Kerala on February 22 after passing key ports like Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Kanyakumari, with nightly halts at over 50 coastal villages to engage fisherfolk on threats like narcotics, arms smuggling and human trafficking.
Saravanan told PTI the initiative builds on last year’s success, when a similar ride from Thakkolam to Kanyakumari covered 52 villages across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring areas, reaching 9 crore people digitally and 30 lakh personally.
Of the 130 CISF personnel participating, which include seven from Tamil Nadu, 50-60 per cent cyclists are women to motivate female recruitment, added Saravanan.
According to him, the cyclothon seeks to position coastal communities as “Tat Pari Praharis” (sentinels), first responders to incidents ahead of marine police or Coast Guard, informing nearest stations about suspicious activities to protect future generations.
CISF guards 12 major ports including Chennai, Ennore, Tuticorin under ISPS code, expanding to all 72 EXIM ports handling 95 per cent trade amid threats like smuggling and infiltration. PTI JR JR ROH
