Tee-off time for border security

Cooch Behar, Jan. 20: A lush 18-hole golf course at the Border Security Force (BSF)?s Roopnagar camp is nearing completion, making it the first links in the Cooch Behar district and the fifth in north Bengal.

The foundation stone of Palm Top Golf Hut, the club house, was today laid by S.R. Tewari, the inspector-general of North Bengal Frontier of the BSF. District magistrate Ravi Inder Singh, superintendent of police Jagmohan and other senior BSF officials were also present there. The course, situated 8 km from here, is being designed by the BSF, who are assisted by the district administration in setting it up.

The work on the course started in March 2004 and the administration helped in developing the fairways and the greens.

Brigadier A. K. Bhanot, deputy inspector-general of the BSF, is the main person behind developing the 35-acre land at Roopnagar into the course.

A keen golfer himself, Bhanot said 14 holes can be played at the course at present, but it can be upgraded to a full-fledged 18-hole facility ?in no time?. ?We went along the natural lay of the land and created the fairways and hazards from our imagination,? Bhanot said. ?We have three water hazards and there is always room to add more. Even bunkers and roughs can be added.?