CISF personnel to cycle 6,500 km along coastline for maritime security awareness

The teams will converge at Kochi in Kerala on February 22, the force said.A total of 130 CISF personnel, including 65 women, will participate in the exercise, covering 11 states and Union Territories.

The Central Industrial Security Force will launch the second edition of its 25-day coastal cyclothon on January 28, covering 6,500 kilometres along India's eastern and western shores to promote maritime security.

The 'CISF Vande Mataram Coastal Cyclothon 2026' commemorates 150 years of the national song 'Vande Mataram' with the theme 'Secure Coast, Prosperous India', a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) spokesperson said on Monday.

The first edition of the cyclothon was held in March 2025, covering 6,553 kilometres.

''The second edition of the cyclothon is aimed to associate the coastal population with the national objectives. The force will also sensitise the locals of these areas for coastal security,'' CISF Director General (DG) Praveer Ranjan told reporters here.

Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai will virtually flag off the rally from the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in the national capital. The event will involve two teams starting from Lakhpat Fort in Gujarat's Kutch and Bakkhali in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas. The teams will converge at Kochi in Kerala on February 22, the force said.

A total of 130 CISF personnel, including 65 women, will participate in the exercise, covering 11 states and Union Territories. Beyond security awareness, the forces aims to foster cultural connections and promote physical fitness through the journey.

According to official figures, 18 per cent of Indian population lives in coastal districts. 95 per cent of India's trade by volume and 70 per cent by value is conducted through maritime route.

The 2.80-lakh strong CISF was raised in 1969. It guards more than 70 civil airports apart from providing a counter-terrorist security cover to a number of facilities in the nuclear and aerospace domain, private sector and to historical monuments like the Taj Mahal and Red Fort. The force was recently designated as a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) to act as the lead agency for all seaport security related works.

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