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India lags behind China in border infrastructure, panel says

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NEW DELHI: India continues to lag far behind China in its plans to construct border military infrastructure for swifter mobility of troops and weapons, which Manohar Parrikar will realize during his first visit to the northeast as defence minister.

Accompanied by Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag and others, Parrikar on Saturday is also slated to visit Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, which much like eastern Ladakh continues to be a major flashpoint between India and China. Also on the cards is a visit to the Bum La pass located on the border.

Parrikar's experience there may be akin to what his predecessor AK Antony described as "an eye opener" in 2007. When Antony for the first time looked across the Nathu La border post in east Sikkim, the realisation finally hit home that China had constructed high-quality roads right till their military outposts along most stretches of the unresolved 4,057km line of actual control (LAC).

READ ALSO:Indian Railways to build station near Chinese border

Indian troops, in turn, had to struggle through treacherous terrain on foot to reach their forward positions in many sectors, with no proper roads and lateral links as well as the complete lack of rail connectivity.

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Eight years later, the story remains somewhat same. "In case of war, the (Indian) Army cannot reach Tawang area in a day. While our neighbouring country can reach the border within two or three hours, our Army takes more than a day to reach there. This is a matter of great concern with regard to our defence preparedness," the parliamentary standing committee on defence said this week, expressing great "dismay".

Leave along the stark asymmetry in military capabilities, India's much-touted plans to build the infrastructure all along the LAC continue to flounder. Only 19 of the 73 "strategic" all-weather roads (which add up to 3,812km) identified for construction along the LAC for better troop mobility almost a decade ago, for instance, have been fully completed till now.

READ ALSO:India, China take positive steps to resolve border dispute

This when all the 73 roads, with more east-west lateral links as well as better access routes to strategic peaks and valleys, were to be completed by 2012. The Border Roads Organization (BRO), which has completed only 19 roads (625km) of the 61 roads (3,410km) entrusted to it, continues to regularly miss deadlines.

With the BRO directly under the MoD now, instead of the being part of the road transport ministry earlier, the progress will be much faster now, contend officials. The government is also working to ensure faster land acquisition as well as environmental clearances, which have been among the main reasons for the long delays, they add.

Incidentally, noting the BRO faced "an acute shortage" of manpower, vehicles and requisite machinery, the parliamentary committee said, "In order to compete with our neighbouring countries, especially China, BRO must have the latest, state-of-the-art equipment."

READ ALSO:Modi govt to promote civilian settlements along India-China border

The MoD, on its part, says 16 of the strategic India-China border roads will be completed this year, with another 13 by 2016, nine by 2017, two by 2018, and the rest thereafter. But only time will tell if these revised deadlines are met.


India lags behind China in border infrastructure, panel says - The Times of India
 
India continues to lag far behind China in its plans to construct border military infrastructure for swifter mobility of troops and weapons, which Manohar Parrikar will realize during his first visit to the northeast as defence minister.

Lagging behind in PLANS? :coffee::rofl:

Come on,you don't compare the plans of two parties。You compare what have been done or are being done by the two parties。

It is high time for our Indian friends to shut the fcuk up and actually do something for peter's sake。
 
It is true. We are taking measures. We have embarked very huge projects in Arunachal pradesh and other area. One Major project of a road just touching the international border is coming up.
 
India continues to lag far behind China in its plans to construct border military infrastructure for swifter mobility of troops and weapons, which Manohar Parrikar will realize during his first visit to the northeast as defence minister.

Lagging behind in PLANS? :coffee::rofl:

Come on,you don't compare the plans of two parties。You compare what have been done or are being done by the two parties。

It is high time for our Indian friends to shut the fcuk up and actually do something for peter's sake。

You are so True. Its high time India should STFU & begin making Toilets. After all, thats the easiest part & not the tough one like building a Road.
 
15,000 cr Road Projects For North East: Gadkari - The Hans India


Shillong: In a boost to infrastructure development in the North-East, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the government will award road projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in the region by December.



"Of the total Rs 15,000 crore road projects envisaged for the North-East, Rs 6,000 crore worth highways will be developed in Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 2,000 crore projects each in Nagaland and Meghalaya and the remaining ones in other parts of the region," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said here.



The Minister, who was here to dedicate 4-laning of Shillong bypass and Jorabat-Barapani to the nation, said the central government will encourage the local contractors in the region to take up civil works for road projects with the aim of providing employment to the local population.



The Centre has also asked the north-eastern states -- Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh -- to acquire land and obtain the necessary regulatory clearances after which the Ministry of Road Transport and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will build those roads. "These measures will ease the bottlenecks in establishing the road projects," he said.



He added that the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) will provide 10 per cent machinery and 10 per cent resource mobilisation to the local contractors in advance to commence work on the highways.



Gadkari said that 18 new jetties will come up on the Brahmaputra river.



The 48.76 kms long road -- connecting Umiam in Ri-Bhoi district and Mawryngkneng in East Khasi Hills District -- was developed to decongest Shillong from trucks and heavy vehicles coming from or moving towards north-eastern part of Assam and other states like Mizoram and Tripura.



The project, developed at an estimated cost of Rs 226 crore, was completed in two years after work began in 2011.
 
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