ITBP now able to move 'medium troop carrier' vehicles in tough terrain having poor road connectivity

By Rajnish Singh
New Delhi [India], October 30 : The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is now able to overcome one of the major hurdles which it has to face while moving its troops in "medium troop carrier" vehicles in tough hilly terrains where road connectivity is in bad shape.
The ITBP personnel deployed in such tough terrains are being trained to dismantle and assemble "medium troop carrier" vehicles in a few minutes so that they could reach their destination despite missing road connectivity on their way.
In this drill, a vehicle having the capacity to carry more than 25 troops at one time can be dismantled by the personnel in a few minutes when they find no road connectivity during their journey to any destination. After finding a better road, the vehicle can be assembled again by the troops to continue their further journey.
The force has currently achieved the expertise to dismantle and assemble "medium troop carrier" vehicles in "six minutes" on plain land and it is now trying to achieve similar success in hilly terrains where performing this drill is comparatively more difficult.
However, the drill is not so easy, at the same time, it is not impossible as a batch of ITBP troops is continuously busy sharpening its skill at one of the force's training Centres (requested not to be named).
Earlier, the mountaineering force could only move "small troop carrier" vehicles from one place to another in hilly areas and it was all impossible without the help of a helicopter.
With new skills, nearly 25-30 ITBP troops can travel with "medium troop carrier" vehicles in hilly areas where roads are in bad shape and in some places there is no road connectivity.
As ITBP is deployed in very difficult terrain from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh, the drill would enhance the force's capacity of covering the distance in minimum time during rescue and other operations.
ITBP Inspector General (Training) IS Duhan told ANI that the force showcased to the whole country how a "medium troop carrier" vehicle can be dismantled and later assembled after the force find bad road connectivity and then suitable road connectivity while travelling in tough terrains.
"Earlier, we used to carry small vehicles through the air as it was difficult to move big vehicles due to the restricted capacity of the helicopter," Duhan said.
Now, the ITBP officer said, we can "move medium troop carrier vehicle to those posts where there is no proper road connectivity".
"There are many posts where one can travel through the vehicle to the Passes but the post is not connected to roads. We found out a solution to deal with such circumstances and adopted the drill to dismantle and assemble medium troop carrier vehicles as per the need," Duhan told ANI.
Our troops take six to seven minutes to dismantle a vehicle and the similar time they take while assembling the vehicle while getting proper road connectivity, said the officer.
"In filed, especially in the Himalayan range, the timing may increase but it is possible to do similar drill there too."
In the Himalayan range where there are disaster and earthquake-prone areas, Duhan said, such a drill will help ITPB in providing help to people and completing its operation.
Raised in 1962, the ITBP guards the 3,488 km India-China borders. The force is also deployed in various internal security duties and also provide help to people in disaster-hit hilly regions.