The move is likely to be implemented in the next few weeks as the winter season is expected to settle by the end of next month in Kashmir

Ahead of winters, the Centre has sanctioned setting up of over 40 pre-fabricated huts for paramilitary forces in the Kashmir valley, besides improving infrastructure in existing private house and hotels to keep its troops comfortable during the snow period, officials said here.

The move is likely to be implemented in the next few weeks as the winter season is expected to settle by the end of next month in Kashmir.

The prefabricated shelters would be insulated with Poly Urethane Foam (PUF) and priority would be given to those troops who are stationed in areas that get more snow, the officials said.

The PUF hut, according to the officials, will have a special foam layer to insulate the interiors from the winter chill.

Besides this, for the first time the CRPF has managed to secure a sanction for purchase of over two lakh coir mattresses which will be used by the jawans of the paramilitary force deployed in the Valley.

Earlier the personnel were sanctioned a ‘darri’ (thin mat) to sleep on during deployment.

But, keeping in mind the harsh weather condition, the Ministry of Home Affairs accorded sanction to the CRPF’s request for purchasing over two lakh coir mattresses for its jawans, the officials said.

The Centre has also accorded sanction for insulating private houses and hotels, where jawans have been kept for carrying out law and order duties besides participating in counter insurgency operations in the Valley.

The CRPF, after its deployment in 2003 in the Valley, took over a little over 100 small hotels and houses abandoned by Kashmiri Pandits. Over the years, the infrastructure at these premises could not be changed as they were not government property.

However, this time, the CRPF has been accorded a sanction to make these private properties more comfortable for the jawans residing there, the officials said.