Pune-based National Institute of Virology gets CISF security The CISF has taken over security of the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) to secure the facility against any terrorist attack or sabotage attempts, a senior officer said Thursday. The induction of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) team took place on Wednesday at the NIV campus situated on Dr Ambedkar Road in the presence of officials and staff of the institute and the central paramilitary force, he said. The NIV is one of the major institutes of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). “It is government’s apex research body and focuses on research on animal and human infections and the role of the environment. It led the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic from the front and also developed the vaccine named Covaxin,” the spokesperson said. The research areas of NIV include cell repository, electron microscopy, rickettsioses, hepatitis, influenza and related viruses, clinical virology, biochemistry, virus registry, and biostatistics. The CISF squad, headed by an inspector rank official, will provide a counter-terrorist cover and will control access to the facility.
The launched works involve rehabilitating the Galgamuwa Railway Station and upgrading the railway line from Maho to Anuradhapura, including additional tasks. Another project is the second phase of track rehabilitation from Maho to Omanthai (128 kms), funded by a $318 million Indian Line of Credit.
Transport Minister Gunawardena praised the efforts of Indian company IRCON in Sri Lanka and called for more cooperation in the railway sector. State Minister Shantha Bandara and officials from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Transport attended the event.
Railways is a priority for Indian assistance in Sri Lanka, with over $1 billion invested under five Indian Lines of Credit. IRCON has been involved in Sri Lanks since 2009. It has contributed to the modernisation of Sri Lanka Railways by reconstructing the entire railway line network in the Northern Province (253 Km) and upgradation of the Southern line (115 km), as well as improving safety through advanced signalling and telecommunication systems.
Despite Sri Lanka’s debt standstill in April 2022, India’s support under various Lines of Credit has continued.
(With PTI inputs)