New Delhi: In the wake of Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday approved the entitlement of air travel on Delhi-Srinagar, Srinagar-Delhi, Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Jammu sectors to all the personnel of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces. The decision will help the jawans cut down on travel time during their journey to and back from home on leave.

The decision will immediately benefit approximately 780,000 personnel of the CAPFs in the ranks of Constable, Head Constable & ASI who were otherwise not eligible earlier. This includes journey on duty and journey on leave, i.e; while going on leave from J&K to home and return, a read a statement of the Home Affairs.

The MHA order said that the facility is in addition to the existing air courier services for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) that have been steadily extended in all sectors by the MHA to help the jawans cut down on travel time during their journey to and fro from home on leave.

Earlier the Air Courier Service for CAPFs jawans was approved for the Jammu-Srinagar-Jammu sector but was later extended to cover 1) Delhi-Jammu, 2) Jammu-Srinagar, 3) Srinagar-Jammu and 3) Jammu-Delhi sector in Dec 2017. “The number of flights were further extended in Dec 2018. In addition, air support is provided from IAF as and when required,” it added.

A senior official told news agency PTI that jawans and sub-officers, the ranks who were killed in the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama in J-K, will now be able to book tickets in commercial flights and claim reimbursement from their organisation or force.

The major decision comes a week after 40 jawans were killed in a dastardly attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed whose terrorist rammed a SUV carrying 200kg explosives into one of the 78 buses of the CRPF which was part of the convoy travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. The queue became long because of a week-long blockage of the Jammu to Srinagar highway.