Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, Drishti Marine, the Goa government-appointed beach safety agency, has deployed innovative floating platforms known as ‘Seahorse’ to strengthen beach surveillance and emergency response during the New Year festive rush.
Four Seahorse platforms have been positioned at high-footfall beaches—Calangute, Candolim and Miramar in North Goa, and Baina in South Goa—as tourist arrivals peak across the state.
The Seahorses function as temporary floating lifeguard stations anchored at sea, offering lifesavers an elevated vantage point to monitor swimmers and beachgoers. The initiative comes amid increasing sand erosion, which has affected the stability and placement of conventional beach watchtowers.
Each Seahorse platform can accommodate four to six lifesavers and is equipped with rescue boards, surfboards, rescue tubes and a jet ski mounted on an integrated ramp, allowing immediate deployment during water-related emergencies. Drishti Marine officials say the platforms can reduce emergency response time from three to five minutes to under one minute.
“The Seahorse enables us to respond almost instantly to emergencies at sea. With a jet ski stationed directly on the platform, lifesavers can reach a person in distress within seconds,” said Drishti Marine CEO Navin Awasthi.
Conceptualised by Drishti Marine Chairman Rajiv Somani, the Seahorse is a fully functional floating lifeguard post. Once positioned, its four legs—each approximately six metres long—are anchored into the seabed, keeping the platform stable. Depending on tidal conditions and water depth, the units are stationed 20 to 30 metres offshore.
The platforms were pilot-tested at multiple locations before being deployed at key beaches for the festive season, which extends into the first week of January 2026. Officials say the floating stations provide improved visibility and quicker intervention, particularly in crowded stretches where shore-based towers face visibility constraints.
In addition to deploying the Seahorse platforms, Drishti Marine has stepped up safety measures by adding 135 personnel this holiday season. The additional deployment includes 70 lifesavers and 14 beach marshals in South Goa, and 65 lifesavers and 19 beach marshals in North Goa.
At present, over 450 Drishti Marine lifesavers are deployed across 24 beaches in North Goa and 30 beaches in South Goa, as well as at popular inland tourist locations such as Dudhsagar waterfalls and Mayem Lake, to ensure visitor safety during the peak tourism period.
