Rs 238 cr sanctioned for roads along India-China border

Gearing up to the challenge posed by the communist neighbour, India is stepping up its infrastructure along the border with China with the latest Union Budget allocating Rs 218.32 crore for constructing  a 200-km road network on the Himalayan terrain.

Officials said roads of up to 197.40 km will be built in two phases, with the first phase covering 97.40 km.  

They said  it would enhance the operational capability of the border-guarding force -  the Indo-Tibetan Border Police - in reaching out to areas fast and take on transgressing Chinese troops.

The emphasis on infrastructure building on the  India-China border comes  after Beijing stepped up infrastructure activities on its side of border and after a standoff in the Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan.

A  conference of military commanders held in October in New Delhi had decided that roads linking the four mountain passes along the Line of Actual Control - Niti, Lipulekh, Thang La 1 and Tsang Chok La  - would be built on priority by 2020.

On the Indo-Pakistan border, Rs 119.22 crore has been allocated for fencing 24 km, while another Rs 75 crore has been allocated for constructing 659 km of roads.

Rs 25 crore has been allotted for floodlighting 224 km, according to the Output-Outcome Framework for Schemes 2018-19.

On  the Indo-Bangladesh border, Rs 269.23 crore has been allocated for  fencing  53.65 km, Rs 33.65 crore for a 57.08 km  of roads and Rs 67.31 crore for floodlighting 87.71 km.

The border infrastructure development on India's other borders are also getting enough attention. Road projects measuring 378.11 km along the India-Nepal border has been allotted Rs 100 crore while another Rs 67 lakh has been earmarked for such projects on the Indo-Bhutan border.

Two pilot projects of a high-tech surveillance unit would be deployed in Gujarat and Punjab at a cost of Rs 25 crore each.  These units would be deployed in other areas depending on their success.

Twenty-six border outposts will also come up on the Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders at a cost of Rs 235.58 crore.