In order to maintain operational readiness on the borders even as the fight against coronavirus pandemic is on, two special trains will run on Friday and Saturday for the eastern and northern borders facing China and Pakistan respectively. Not willing to let its guard down at this juncture, the Army will approach the Ministry of railways for allocation of more special trains in the coming weeks.
Besides this, the Army has also issued fresh instruction to its personnel regarding restrictions and other measures to be followed after the lockdown was extended till May 3, officials said here on Thursday adding all military establishments, cantonments, formation headquarters and units will observe strict “No Movement” till April 19.
Giving details about the special trains, they said “Only personnel due to rejoin units deployed on the Northern and Eastern borders and have undergone the mandatory quarantine period and found medically fit will be accommodated.”
The train on Friday will run between Bengaluru - Belgaum- Secundrabad - Ambala- Jammu and the train on April 18 will run between Bengaluru - Belgaum- Secundrabad - Gopalpur - Howrah - New Jalpaiguri - Guwahati.
Sources said this will enable decongestion of Category A and B training establishments at Bengaluru, Belgaum, Secunderabad and Gopalpur as well as assist in operational preparedness of active formations deployed on the borders.
As regards new guidelines after extension of the lockdown, they said the two set of instructions are up to April 19 and from April 19 to May 3. As per the instructions, all military establishments, cantonments, formation headquarters and units will observe strict “No Movement” till April 19, sources said and only personnel connected with provision of essential services will be allowed to move.
In addition, within the Army headquarters only the Military Operations, Military Intelligence, operational logistics and strategic movement branches will function, to carry out operational and COVID-19 related tasks while keeping duration of stay and strength at bare minimum. All other branches have been asked to work from home till April 19 with any specific task to be handled on a case to case basis.
Similarly, in Command headquarters only manpower, logistics and operations branches will function with skeletal staff, the instructions said and at Northern and Eastern Commands the intelligence branch will also additionally function.
After April 19 till May 03, the instructions state that offices in Army, Command and formation headquarters may start functioning at 50% strength while the Directorate General Medical Services (Army), medical establishments and hospitals will continue functioning at full strength to provide a robust response to COVID-19.
However, as per instructions all training activities and temporary duties will remain suspended till May 03 as also social, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious gatherings and regimental or ceremonial functions.
Sources added that any offices falling in ‘Hotspots or Containment Zones’ will observe strict “No Movement” till they are denotified and any exceptions to be given will be at the discretion of the local military authority.