In view of the “prevailing situation”, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has decided to temporarily shift its two centres, including the training centre in Srinagar.
In the order issued on Monday, the CRPF said: “In view of the prevailing situation, temporarily Recruit Training centre, Srinagar be shifted from Humhama to Lethpora & Group centre, Srinagar from its present location Rambagh to Humhama.”
According to top sources, the centre is being shifted to Jammu and Kashmir’s Lethpora, a terror-prone area, and is much bigger than the existing one. Also, Army and Police training centres are in the vicinity, which will ensure better co-ordination, officials said.
The new training centre will have all facilities to train a large number of troops.
SAFETY CONCERNS
Some officials deployed in J&K, however, claimed that safe travel and transportation of troops to the new base in the terror-prone area would be a challenge.
In 2017, terrorists had targeted a CRPF camp housing the Pre-Induction Training Centre at Lethpora in the Pulwama district of South Kashmir and the 185 battalion headquarters, killing five troops.
Terrorists had also attacked the CRPF troops in Pulwama on February 14, 2019, when an explosive-laden vehicle attacked a convoy of CRPF personnel, killing 40 of them.
‘10 TIMES BIGGER, BETTER’
The CRPF has said that it was a long-standing issue related to operational training of troops deployed in Kashmir and to provide a central logistics hub for operational efficiency of deployed units.
“The above arrangement will continue till the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley improves. Moreover, the remaining authorised infrastructure, which is as per norms for GC, will continue to be constructed,” the CRPF said.
Both the centres would be shifted accordingly on priority to the new locations, Director-General (DG) CRPF has ordered.
Sources told News18 that Lethpora centre is built on a land given by the government to CRPF. “The new centre will have a bigger area, almost 10 times that of the existing one. Shifting a centre to a bigger area is better for training and work. Certainly, it’s a terror-prone area, but that will not be an issue. The DG has issued the order for temporary change in location of centres,” a senior CRPF official said.
“The new camp will help train troops in all terrain — hilly, snow covered — and troops, along with road opening, which remains most vulnerable. This new facility will have all dedicated facilities for jawans,” a senior official told News18.
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