J&K troopers to get free air travel

UNTIL NOW, ONLY OFFICERS OF THE RANK OF INSPECTOR AND ABOVE WERE ELIGIBLE FOR AIR TRAVEL

NEW DELHI: All paramilitary personnel deployed in Jammu and Kashmir will now be entitled to take commercial flights to either join duty or go on leave, the Union home ministry said in a statement, a week after 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men were killed by a suicide car bomber in the state.

Home minister Rajnath Singh tweeted a statement saying the decision will “immediately benefit approximately 7.8 lakh paramilitary personnel of the ranks of constable, head constable and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) who were otherwise not eligible earlier” to travel by air on duty. Until now, only officers of the rank of Inspector and above were eligible for air travel.

The decision has been taken after the suicide car bomber rammed a vehicle packed with explosive into a bus carrying CRPF troopers, part of a large paramilitary convoy, on the Jammu-srinagar highway on February 14, killing 40 troopers in the deadliest attack in three decades of insurgency in J& K.

Because of bad weather, the personnel had been stranded since in February 4 in a Jammu transit camp that had the capacity to hold only 1,000 people. On February 14, more than 2,500 CRPF personnel were being transported to a transit camp in Srinagar when the car bomb attack, claimed by the Jaish-emohammed terrorist group,took place. The convoy had 78 vehicles and the bus was attacked around 25 kilometres from Srinagar.

Some of the paramilitary forces deployed in the Valley have been seeking air travel facility for all ranks. Following the criticism it had to face after the Pulwama attack, the ministry issued an order that it “has approved the entitlement of air travel on Delhisrinagar, Srinagar-delhi, Jammu-srinagar and Srinagarjammu sectors to all the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces” and it will include their journey for joining duty, transfers, tours or going on leave.

“All ranks of CRPF will greatly benefit from this sanction. It is a great welfare measure and also helps in troop movement in a very substantial manner, specially during winters or monsoons when the highway gets blocked and also when extra forces are inducted. Convoys will still run and will be supplemented by the air movement,” said CRPF chief RR Bhatnagar.

More than 80,000 paramilitary personnel are posted in the Kashmir Valley and among them as many as 65,000 belong to the CRPF. Other forces deployed in the state include the Border Security Force, Indo-tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and National Security Guard.

A home ministry official said constables, head constables and ASIS too will now be able to book tickets on regular commercial flights and claim reimbursement.

The ministry said the new facility is “in addition” to the existing air courier services for the paramilitary personnel where an entire aircraft is booked for them from either Delhi or Jammu to Srinagar and back. The ministry added that the air courier service will cover more routes now.

“The number of flights were further extended in December 2018. In addition, air support is provided from the Indian Air Force as and when required,” the ministry statement said