The 118 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army (TA) finally vacated Sitabuldi Fort on Wednesday and moved to its new base at Bhusawal. Even after several objections and protests from the Nagpurians the 118 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army shifted its base. Southern Command of the Indian Army, Pune had recently directed 118 TA Battalion to move from Nagpur to Bhusawal with immediate effect.
According to Retired Territorial Army Personnel Association, 118 TA Battalion was moved to Bhusawal to make place for Uttar Maharashtra and Gujarat (UMANG) Sub-Area Headquarters of the Indian Army. UMANG Sub-Area Headquarters had shifted from Mumbai to Nagpur around a year ago. Since then, it was stationed in Command Works Engineer (CWS) office. The CWS unit was shifted to Sitabuldi Fort where 118 TA Battalion was located.
The retired TA personnel said that UMANG Sub-Area Headquarters could have been accommodated in Kamptee Cantonment area. Kamptee Cantonment area was the most suitable for the purpose and ample land was readily available with the Indian Army for the same.
The Humanism Foundation, Nagpur, also raised a strong objection to the shifting of 118 Territorial Army (TA) unit from Nagpur to Bhusawal, which is in Khandesh region of Maharashtra. In a letter addressed to Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister, the Foundation had termed shifting of the unit out of Vidarbha as ‘injustice being meted out to people of Vidarbha’.
Even family members of some of the serving officers and jawans of 118 TA Battalion raised their reservations internally, against shifting to Bhusawal. However, the 118 TA Battalion finally vacated Sitabuldi Fort area for UMANG Sub-Area Headquarters.
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