Maharashtra government has given its approval for a proposal to allot an additional 55 acre of land to set up National Institute of Coastal Policing, which will come up at Khardi, in Thane district of the state.

The institute will be set up by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The proposed institute will offer training to police personnel from coastal police stations across the country and will also train the state police to undertake measures to enhance the security of the coastal areas in the state.

The land is in addition to the 250 acre sanctioned earlier for setting up the institute. The land will be leased to the Centre for 30 years. It will become binding on the Centre to complete construction of the institute within two years of handing over of the land.

Two years back, Kerala's Home Ministry had submitted EoIs to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, for setting up the institute in the state, and had also identified spots in Kannur, Kozhikode and Kasargod for the institute.