Greater Noida: ITBP to showcase mechanised column that guards Sino-Indian border
A mechanised column includes a series of all-terrain vehicle (ATV), sports utility vehicle (SUV) and snow scooters which can operate even when the temperature plunges to minus 50 degrees Celsius in areas such as Ladakh, which is known as a cold desert
The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for the first time will showcase a mechanised column that helps them to serve under harsh weather conditions along the Himalayan border. The column will be showcased on the force’s 56th Raising Day on Tuesday at their Greater Noida campus.
“This is for the first time in the history of our force that we are raising and deploying a mechanised column of power vehicles and machines to speedily mobilise troops along the Sino-Indian border,” a spokesperson of ITBP said.
A mechanised column includes a series of all-terrain vehicle (ATV), sports utility vehicle (SUV) and snow scooters which can operate even when the temperature plunges to minus 50 degrees Celsius in areas such as Ladakh, which is known as a cold desert.
Over 100 vehicles will be displayed during the march past at the 56th Raising Day celebrations on the ITBP campus in Greater Noida on Tuesday. The function will be attended by Union home minister Rajnath Singh.
The mechanised column, a fleet of vehicles with high reliable efficiency, was inducted into the force in January 2017.
The spokesperson said, “The mechanised column is in a trial phase to check its efficiency. After completion of the trial phase, we will make necessary modification in these vehicles.”
The vehicles help ITBP jawans to patrol and hold the border even in bone-chilling weather. “ATVs can negotiate a hilly track up to a 60 degree incline. Usually, these vehicles come with double air-conditioners, but we had to equip them with heaters instead,” an ITBP official said.
The motor contingent is aimed at showcasing the modernisation of the force, which is vigilant along the Himalayan border of 3, 488 kilometers spanning across the five states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
All-terrain vehicles have an engine capacity of 1,000 CC and a ground clearance of 343mm, which ensures it can run over the boulders. Himalayan tracks are mostly steep and one ATV can carry six armed persons.
“Snow scooters will be showcased on trucks, because they cannot be driven on roads. The ITBP personnel have modern gears while operating them at the border. These scooters have anti-skid technology,” the spokesperson said.
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The SUVs include a Toyota Fortuner, ISUZU and Ford Endeavour having four-wheel drive capabilities.
The ITBP has about 30 border posts above the height of 15,000 feet and 50 posts above the height of 12,000 feet. The home ministry has sanctioned funds to the ITBP to have at least one snow scooter each at these frontier bases.