Boost for ITBP as government flags off fleet of 29 all-terrain SUVs
The move came after senior officials found the old gypsy used by the force to be obsolete and uncomfortable.
In Short
- 29 Mahindra Scorpios were flagged off today.
- The SUV's have an inbuilt GPS system.
- No other border forces in India uses SUVs in forward areas.
When the going gets tough, the tough use SUVs. Two months after Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) forces deployed high-end Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) on the India-China border, the government has decided to provide them a fleet of SUVs to tackle the rugged terrain at high-altitude border posts.
As many as 29 Mahindra Scorpios were flagged off today for the paramilitary force.
STATE OF THE ART
The SUV's, costing Rs 11 lakh each, have an inbuilt GPS system, and the tough 4x4s will act as troop carriers in hostile terrain.
No other border forces in India uses high-end SUVs in forward areas. The initiative was adopted by Krishna Chaudhary, DG, ITBP, who had approached the Ministry of Home Affairs for the same.
The move came after senior officials found the old gypsy used by the force to be obsolete and uncomfortable.
DESTINATION LADAKH, ARUNACHAL
While 10 SUVs will be sent to Ladakh, six will go to Arunachal Pradesh, five to Uttarakhand and two to Sikkim. The Scorpios are expected to reach their destination in the next three days by road.
Earlier, four high-end SUVs - two Toyota Fortuners and two Ford Endeavours - with a price tag of around Rs 25 lakh each, were deployed by ITBP at some of its forward locations, including some at over 13,000 feet above sea level at Burtse and Dungti in the Ladakh sector and Menchuka, over 6,000 feet, in Arunachal Pradesh.
Also read: Now high-end SUVs for ITBP troops on Sino-India border