Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The length of India’s coastline is now revised to 11,098 km, roughly 50 percent greater than the previously recorded 7,561.60 km. This is the first such update since the 1970s and results from new modern mapping methods as per the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

Technological Advances Serve As New Fuel

The change comes as a result of the implementation of high-resolution geospatial mapping based on electronic navigation charts created by the National Hydrographic Office (NHO). This new approach is unlike the older one which was fully manual; it incorporates GIS-based technology utilizing satellite imageries alongside set basin criteria, including upper water-line readings, island cutoffs, and river mouth closures.

Maharashtra Has Dominated The Benefits

Maharashtra’s coastline is now revised to 877.97 km from 720 km, nearly a 158 km increase. Ports development Minister Nitesh Rane verified the revision and added that the new figure will contribute to better policy formulation and overal strategical planning in the region.

Economic and Strategic Implications

For Maharashtra, the updated coastline presents new opportunities:

Port and maritime infrastructure expansion

Growth in coastal tourism and fisheries

Greater strategic reach for maritime security

Larger Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for marine resources

Potential development of offshore renewable energy, including wind farms

Mumbai, as the state’s commercial hub, along with the Konkan belt’s minor ports, stands to benefit significantly.

Challenges And Responsibilities

The additional coastline also creates new challenges. It requires:

Enhanced coastal management systems

Disaster erosion, cyclone, and sea-level rise preparedness

Tighter regulations for environmental preservation to avert ungoverned development

Heightened inter-agency collaboration

Revised coastal zone governance and manpower structuring

Read More: India Revises Coastline to 11,098 km: Maharashtra Gains Major Expansion