Amritsar The construction work of barracks for Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari, has been delayed by four months to March 2020 due to issues with labour and tensions on the border.
Inaugurated in January 2019, the ₹33-crore project, near the Indo-Pakistan fencing line, was meant to be completed before December 2019. It is planned to have 370 flats in two buildings. BSF officials said once the project is complete, troops will be able to live near the Attari border, which will not only strengthen the security of the Integrated Check Post (ICP), but also of the Joint Check Post (JCP).
The ICP facilitates India’s trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan; the JCP is known for its border retreat ceremony, which is attended by thousands of spectators every day.
Now, troops are housed 15km from border
Now, most troops, who guard the Attari border, are housed in the BSF’s Khasa headquarters, which is 15km away. “The previous project deadline was December 2019. Now, we have got it extended to March 2020. As on today, 50% work of the project has been completed. Sometimes, we faced labour problems; at other times, there was tension on the border,” said Sukhdev Singh, manager, Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), which is responsible for the project.
The flats in the four-storey building will be for jawans, while BSF officials will be housed at flats in the double-storey building, LPAI officials said. A dormitory is also being built for women personnel of the BSF.
{{/usCountry}}The flats in the four-storey building will be for jawans, while BSF officials will be housed at flats in the double-storey building, LPAI officials said. A dormitory is also being built for women personnel of the BSF.
{{/usCountry}}A BSF official said, “We spend a lot of time and energy in travelling to-and-fro from Khasa to Attari. After the construction of the flats, BSF troopers will be able to perform their duty without hassle.”
LPAI officials added that they had constructed 16 security towers at a cost of ₹54 lakh. BSF troopers are deployed there to keep a watch on suspicious activities along the border. “We have also spent ₹5 crore on the installation of 108 high-definition CCTVs,” they said.
GRAPHIC PLEASE
Project details
Once the barrack construction is complete, troops will be able to live near the Attari border, which will not only strengthen the security of the Integrated Check Post, but also of the Joint Check Post.
₹33 crore
Cost
March 2020
New deadline
2
Buildings for flats; a 4-storey and 2-storey facility
370
Total flats
1
Dormitory for women personnel