NL Correspondent
New Delhi, Feb 21
Days after a terrorist attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama, the ministry of home affairs has approved air travel for all the personnel of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces in Jammu and Kashmir sector to travel either to join duty or go on leave. Jawans travelling from Delhi to Srinagar, Srinagar to Delhi, Srinagar to Jammu, and Jammu to Srinagar will be provided with the facility of air travel, including a journey on duty and journey on leave, the MHA said. The move is likely to benefit approximately 780,000 personnel of CAPFs in the ranks of constable, a head constable and ASI. Till now, officers in the rank of Inspectors and above were given this air travel facility. A senior official said jawans and sub-officers, the ranks who were killed in the suicide attack in Pulwama, will now be able to book tickets in regular commercial flights and claim reimbursement from their organisation or force for this travel to and from Kashmir. On February 14, 40 CRPF personnel were martyred when their convoy was attacked by an explosive-laden vehicle being driven by a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist. The convoy of over 70 vehicles was on its way from Jammu to Srinagar. “This facility is in addition to the existing air courier services for CAPFs that have been steadily extended in all sectors by the MHA to help the jawans cut down on travel time during their journey to and fro from home on leave,” the ministry said. In Jammu and Kashmir Sector, it may be recalled that Air Courier Service for CAPFs jawans was approved for the Jammu-Srinagar-Jammu sector. Subsequently, the Service was extended to cover 1) Delhi-Jammu, 2) Jammu-Srinagar, 3) Srinagar-Jammu and 3) Jammu-Delhi sector in December 2017. The number of flights was further extended in Dec 2018. In addition, air support is provided from IAF as and when required. A senior official said the step will allow more and more personnel to undertake air travel to and from Kashmir but the requirement of running convoys of the security forces cannot be brought to zero.
