New Delhi/Raipur, Apr 24 (PTI) In a major breakthrough, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has set up a fifth and the final forward base in Chhattisgarh that will connect the hardcore Maoist influence region of Abujhmad in Maharashtra, paving way for the construction of a first-ever highway.

Officials in the security establishment told PTI that the Nelangur base in Narayanpur district was established by the paramilitary force on Wednesday.

Narayanpur district is on the western side of Chhattisgarh and is just about a kilometre away from the Maharashtra border.

Abujhmad or the ‘unknown territory’ is spread over about 4,000 sq km in Narayanpur and has been categorised by security agencies and Chhattisgarh administration as the den of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) as its dense forests served as a hideout for its cadres.

Officials said the work to connect Abujhmad to Maharashtra began this January with two battalions of the ITBP – 41st and 45th – being tasked with creating company operating bases (COBs) in these remote areas of Narayanpur district.

The ITBP established the first base at Mohandi followed by Kodliyar, Kutul, Bedmakoti, Padamkot and finally Nelangur.

“This is the shortest time period (three months) taken for establishing these many COBs by any force in Chhattisgarh in the core Left wing extremism affected area.

“With these new bases, the approach to Maharashtra from Narayanpur and even its adjoining district of Kondagaon will pave the way for development and better reach of security forces and development agencies. The area has been under the clutches of the Naxals for the last four decades,” a senior official said.

This 40-km stretch in Abujhmad has seen “huge” Naxal presence and functioning of the leaders and cadres of the West Bastar Division, North Bastar Division, Maad Division, etc., he said.

The ITBP will now provide security to the contractors and labourers who will work on the ambitious ‘Bharatmala’ road network project here to build national highway number 130D. This work was pending due to a security vacuum in the area, officials said.

Separately, the Border Security Force (BSF) too has been opening such COBs in the northern part of Narayanpur to reach Gadhchiroli district of Maharashtra that will open better communication and road networks.

The ITBP has been deployed for conducting anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh since 2009. The force was first positioned in Rajnandgaon district followed by Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts in 2015. PTI NES ZMN