Heavy vehicles: Army beats NIT labs in training

Hyderabad: The Army’s automobile laboratories at the 1 EME Centre are considered to be better than those of the National Institute of Technology. The Army has the largest infrastructure and advanced equipment outdoor labs for Ashok Leyland, Tata, and Maruti vehicles. Assembling and repairing of heavy duty Army vehicles used in the war zones, difficult terrains and high altitude locations are taught at 1 EME.

The Automobile Engineering Group (EME) falls under the second battalion. It has classrooms dedicated to engines and brake system of Hero Honda, Royal Enfield and massive outdoor laboratories where Ashok Leyland and Tata vehicles are placed for practical classes.

G. Rajshekar, assistant executive Engineer with EME, explained, “The 1 EME in Hyderabad has advanced vehicle cut model system and the largest infrastructure and e-learning cut model labs. It outdoes private technology institutions that usually restrict students to theory in classroom whereas EME allows hands-on experience for its students at an early stage.”

After the training, the officers are posted at warehouses of Tata Motors, Maruti and Suzuki for a few weeks as interns before being sent to the field, he added.

The 1 EME, located at Eagle Chowk near College for Defence Management, Ammaguda, has an aviation wing that deals with helicopter construction and repairs. Trainees learn about helicopter parts and repairs.

A batch gets 24 weeks of advanced training of vehicles and also tips to operate and repair giant sized generators that are required at high altitude locations such as the Siachen glacier.

Jawans trained on model of treacherous war terrain

A landscaped model of an insurgency-affected area has been built inside the Telangana sub-area at Bolarum to train jawans doing duty in the highly treacherous terrain. A 4-km Eagle Jogging Track has been built in the 4th Battalion of the 1EME Centre consisting of a soft track, sand and water obstacles, forest, hills and nalas.

Jawans are given 20 minutes to pass through difficult terrains specially created on the Eagle Jogging Track. Barricaded with bamboos at the entrance, the 4-km track disappears into a mini forest that has a small lake which acts like an obstacle, 600 metres of water flowing upstream and downstream alternately. The track has been designed to train jawans for operations in difficult conditions and rock, undulating ground.  

Adjacent to the track is an obstacle training ground equipped with scramble net, ditches and crawls. Jawans also learn to understand the topography with the help of maps. This builds strength and stamina in the jawans likely to be posted on the frontlines.