Major infra development

21/03/2018

The Centre has approved Rs 3482.52 crore for completion of several strategic projects along Sino-Indian border, majority of which were pending for last 13 years, and set 2020 as deadline for their completion with more funds, if required, will be no bar.Number of the strategic projects, approved by the Central Government, falls in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, where India shared Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in rugged mountains with no road link to majority of posts manned by Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) due to lack of interest on this front by the previous Governments. The Central Government decision to approve full cost of around 73 strategic road projects along China border, spread over five States, comes close on the heels of tension between the two countries over Doklam issue though the matter was claimed to have been resolved by the two countries. The projects, approved by the Government of India, included roads connecting Indian side of LAC with towns and cities to help troops reach right up to their posts on the vehicles instead of trekking rugged mountains for several kilometers, which is the case at present in some of the areas.
All these projects were initially conceived in 2005 during the tenure of UPA-I headed by DrManmohan Singh. The then Government had set deadline of 2012 for completion of all these projects. However, in the absence of funding, no headway was made in completion of the projects. Out of the 73 roads of strategic importance, 27 roads involving 804.32 km are being constructed by Ministry of Home Affairs in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh at an estimated cost of Rs 1,937 crore.
It was only after Narendra Modi Government took over in 2014 that priority was accorded to completion of these projects. Now, with the release of 3482.52 crore worth funds, the Centre has fixed 2020 deadline for completion of all these projects.
China has build up massive infrastructure along their side of the LAC by connecting boundaries with India through not only road, but in some cases, also through rail network. India was now trying to match China in infrastructure development. Last year, then Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had laid foundation of survey work on linking Leh with train through Pathankot-Bilaspur-Manali rail track. However, sources admitted, that construction of the railway track could take a lot of time as it (the track) had to pass through mountainous areas. In the recent past, the Government of India including the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs have taken series of initiatives to equip Army and ITBP with best possible facilities including the vehicles that could trek through the rugged mountains to help troops carry with goods with them.

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