NEW DELHI: The Indian Army has started functioning of its important offices and formations at the partial level on Monday and for movement of troops it has given the priority to those posted in sensitive Northern Command. Also, the exercise to regulate the movement and quarantine will continue further.
As the lockdown period was extended by the government from April 15 to May 3, the Army has prioritised troop movement for sensitive frontiers. “Priority I are all ranks of Northern Command and all Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Services personnel and Priority II are all ranks of Eastern Command plus officers & key appointments of other Commands as decided by respective Commands,” said Army.
The sensitive borders with Pakistan and China are looked after by the Army’s Northern and Eastern Commands. As part of revised instructions issued on Monday Army decided to allow movement for personnel who have Unit/ Duty Station within 500 km by private transport. They will rejoin only on receipt of specific instructions from units/formations/establishment that has granted leave/ Temporary Duty.
The army had informed on April 16 that from 19 April to 03 May, offices in Army HQ, Command HQ and formation HQ may start functioning at 50 per cent strength.
Army has clarified that all personnel from Nepal presently on leave to remain at their home stations till such time the situation in Nepal stabilises/ the Government opens the border for the movement of personnel. Requisite move instructions will accordingly be passed to such personnel from their parent units/ Headquarters/ Establishments.
At any given point of time almost 4 to 4.5 lakh troops are either on leave or are on move for temporary duties, training or courses. Army has planned the broad Modalities/ Guidelines for rejoining in a phased manner considering the numbers of individuals rejoining keeping the requirement for smooth reporting, quarantine and onward dispersal to units.
Any individual whose leave station is within 500 kms of unit/duty station is allowed to directly report to the unit using private transport only. Individuals who does not fall within the 500 kms criteria will report to nearest unit/station headquarter in the private vehicle only.
After their joining, all personnel in the Army will be classified as Green (who have completed 14 days Quarantine period), Yellow (who need to undergo 14 days Quarantine period) and Red (Symptomatic requiring isolation and further treatment in COVID hospital).
Army informed, “In case of personnel do not move under supervision of military authorities, they will be considered Yellow and undergo 14 days quarantine again.”
However, these orders for reporting will not apply to in ‘Hotspots/ Containment Zones’. Individuals in Hotspots/ Containment zones will follow strictly 'No Movement' till the areas are de-notified as Containment zones.