Dera Baba Nanak (Punjab): The Union Home Ministry has approved deployment of special units of Border Security Force (BSF) to guard Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Immigration Check Post (ICP) between India and Pakistan and the paramilitary force is expected to take over the post before November 8.
These BSF units are expected to arrive in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district in “one or two days” and will take over the security of the Corridor’s passenger terminal building (PTB) and the 4.2-km-long road connecting International Border a day before the project – being constructed at Dera Baba Nanak – is handed over to the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), said a senior government official.
Another official said that the Home Ministry was requested to sanction “one Battalion” to secure the Corridor and the Ministry accordingly approved only “some companies” (less than half a dozen) assuring more force would be sanctioned later as per the needs.
The official refused to disclose the number of companies citing security reasons.
The sanctioned units would cordon off the whole ICP a day before the LPAI is handed over the project being built since June 4 with contract value of Rs 177.49 crore, said the official.
“All security-related arrangements will be done before the inauguration of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on November 8. The whole ICP would be under the BSF security cover by its special units which has already been approved by the Home Ministry as per requirements raised two months ago by the LPAI,” said the official.
Asked over the current security scenario, a BSF officer said, “We are already guarding the ‘Zero Line’ at the International Border and the state police is assisting the force. As OP (Observation Post) tower is still not installed there and construction work is still going on, there is no need to take up the ICP security. Once these are finished, we will take over. But our separate company and state police is already there to provide security.”
Officials said security of the passenger terminal at Dera Baba Nanak will be the responsibility of the BSF, as per the LPAI Act, 2010. (IANS)
