Key Points
- Thousands of Army hopefuls gathered in Pithoragarh for the Territorial Army recruitment.
- People faced issues with accommodation and transportation, including high travel fares.
- The district administration said they made enough arrangements, including food and transport.
- Over 18,000 candidates showed up for only 133 posts, causing overcrowding and police intervention.
- The recruitment drive, originally scheduled for Danapur, Uttar Pradesh, was moved to Pithoragarh.
Looma News
A large number of Army aspirants gathered in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, for the Territorial Army recruitment. Many of these candidates, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, faced issues like a shortage of places to stay, poor transport options, and high travel fares. Some claimed they had to pay as much as Rs 10,000 for a taxi ride. Candidates sleeping on roads and footpaths. Some even climbed into buses through windows or squeezed into bus boot spaces because of overcrowding.
The crowd grew when the recruitment rally, originally set to happen in Danapur, Bihar, was delayed. As a result, many young men from Uttar Pradesh made their way to Pithoragarh, hoping to join the recruitment. The Army later announced that the Danapur rally would now take place from November 26 to December 1, and candidates from Uttar Pradesh could also attend.
The district administration rejected the claims of poor arrangements. District Magistrate Vinod Giri Goswami said they had made proper provisions. These included food served through langars at 18 locations and accommodation arranged in 30 local schools. More than 100 Uttarakhand Roadways buses and around 250 taxis were hired to transport candidates from nearby towns to Pithoragarh.
Schools in Pithoragarh were closed between November 20 and 22 to support the recruitment process. Officials expect between 10,000 and 12,000 more candidates to arrive on November 22 and 23, and have made extra preparations, including hiring 55 school buses to handle the crowd. Despite the chaos, the recruitment drive is expected to go smoothly with these plans in place.
The Territorial Army recruitment includes part-time military service opportunities, which involve a physical test, written exam, document verification, and medical checks.
