Border infrastructure to be brought on par with China: ITBP

Incumbent Director General R K Bhatia retired yesterday.

“Information has been received that development of infrastructure is being done on the Chinese side. We are increasing and enhancing our infrastructure in a commensurate way,” Sinha told reporters when asked about reports of China increasing its strength on its side of the border.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) guards 3,488 km of the Sino-Indian frontier.

Sinha,however,said that according to information he has the “situation is normal and no incident” has happened along the China border.

The topography on both sides is different from each other and the government is making efforts to upgrade infrastructure along the border,he said.

Sinha has earlier served as the chief of Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the mountain trained force as its Additional Director General (ADG).

“We are also enhancing facilities for jawans guarding the borders and we will keep the government informed about all these initiatives,” he said.

Sinha also said that the force is raising an exclusive wing to patrol water bodies in the Himalayan region,a task performed in coordination with the Army at present.

The ITBP and Army are working in good coordination at the border,Sinha said.

The new DG said the force has strengthened its presence at the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

Talking about the new role of undertaking anti-naxal operations in various states,Sinha said the force is raising an exclusive intelligence unit for this theatre of operation which will enable them to undertake “independent operations”.

The ITBP has deployed close to 5,000 troops for anti-Maoist operations.

Sinha said his impetus would be on raising new battalions and setting up of new training centres for the force after it got the government’s sanction in this regard recently.

The new ITBP chief’s tenure will end on March 31,2013 or till any other further order.