New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS): The Union Home Ministry has decided to resume the air courier service for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel going to join their duties or proceeding on leave in Jammu and Kashmir and also for northeastern states.

According to a Ministry of Home Affairs' notification, the air courier services have got approval for seven months from September 1, this year to March 31, 2022. The services were discontinued because of the non-approval from the Union Home Ministry.

The Border Security Force, which is a coordinating agency for this facility, in a letter to the Air India said, "It is requested to resume air courier service on all approved routes of NE (Northeast) and J&K Sectors w.e.f. from 16th Sept 2021 as per scheduled days and time. A confirmation may please be communicated to the present HQ," reads a communication titled "Resuming of Air Courier Service for CAPFs personnel."

The ferrying of the CAPF personnel by air was initiated after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 when 40 CRPF jawans were killed in a gruesome attack on the convoy on February 14 by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

In 2019, the Union Home Ministry had allowed extension of aviation in respect of non-entitled personnel of CAPFs, AR (Assam Rifles) and National watchman (NSG) deployed in Jammu and Kashmir to travel by air such as jawans and other ranks who were not allowed to travel by air for joining the duties or going on leave.

The air courier facility is out there from Jammu to Srinagar and back on official duty/transfer/tour and leave (on termination/commencement at base point at Jammu). The service is additionally available from Delhi to Srinagar and back on official duty/transfer/tour.

This facility is going to be availed by all CAPF personnel which incorporate Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve police (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and National Security Guards (NSG) and Assam Rifles.