ITBP Getting Ready to Deploy Men at 47 Additional Border Outposts Along LAC

New Delhi: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been gearing up to enhance its presence along the Line of Actual Control by deploying its men at the 47 additional border outposts (BoPs), following a clearance by the Union home ministry early this year, said officials.

Amid the Sino-Indian stand-off in Ladakh, the ITBP operationalised its Western and Eastern Commands at Chandigarh and Guwahati respectively by appointing their heads in the first week of June.

The posts were approved by the Union cabinet in October last year. While the Western Command will look after India’s border with China in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Eastern Command will exercise control over the Northern Frontier and the North-eastern Frontier, which includes parts of Sikkim and Arunachal , said officials.

Among the 47 BoPs, 34 have been planned in Arunachal Pradesh, where the terrain is extremely inhospitable, while five will come up in the western theatre.

Besides, 12 staging camps are being set up to act as temporary BoPs for ITBP jawans out on patrol along the Himalayan frontier, and provide them rations, logistics and a place to stay.

Recruitment, training and deployment at these BOPs have been delayed, though, due to Covid-19. In March, ITBP centres were engaged in quarantine facilities for Indians returning from abroad.

Later, they were used to treat Covid-19 positive cases among the Central Armed Police Forces and agencies including the CBI, NIA and IB. As on June 16, more than 130 personnel from these organizations were being treated at ITBP facilities for Covid-19 symptoms.

Source: ET