In an effort to meet the threat posed by China due to its vastly superior rail and road infrastructure for faster movement of troops and weaponry, India is planning to lay 14 strategic railway lines close to line of Actual Control(lAC). Survey for 12 such projects is now complete.
These rail projects in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand are besides 73 strategic road projects in all the States bordering China. Some rail projects will also come up in Rajasthan to counter any challenge by Pakistan, officials said here on Sunday.
The Planning Commission will now vet these proposals on a priority basis for allocation of funds, they said, adding that the Government is keen to start the construction of rail network in the border regions to counter external threat and connect remote areas with the rest of the country for all round propserity.
India is a late starter in building infrastructure as China has already built more than 10,000 kms of rail network in Tibet alone and this network connects the Tibetan plateau with the Chinese mainland.
It means that China can at short notice rush troops and weaponry to its borders in case of any exigency thereby ensuring all the year round logistical supplies to its frontier areas. India is at a distinct advantage as its troops have to trek for more than four to five days from the nearest road head in regions like ladakh and Arunachal to reach border posts.
At present, the front posts are maintained by helicopters and medium level transport planes which supply food and weapons. However, these flying operations can only be undertaken during good weather and inclement weather cuts off these remote posts for days together.
As regards roads, of the 73 roads with a total length of 3,812 km, laying of 61 roads covering 3,404 km have been assigned to Border Roads Organisation (BRO), sources said. The projects include 27 roads in Arunachal Pradesh, 12 in Jammu and Kashmir, 14 in Uttarakhand, five in Himachal Pradesh and three in Sikkim, they said adding 17 roads have been completed, they said.
On the issue of infrastructure in border areas, Defence Minister A K Antony conceded in Parliament last month that China is “superior” in terms of border infrastructure as India was late in deciding on building roads and other capabilities near the lAC because of the impact of the 1962 war. He had described it as a “collective failure” of all the successive Governments.
“I have no hesitation to say that China is in a better position than India in terms of border infrastructure. It is a mistake, it is all of us who are to be held collectively responsible for it. It is a historical legacy,” he had said.
After “years of neglect,” he said India is fast developing capabilities near the China border, including building of roads, raising of two mountain divisions and setting up many new airfields and landing grounds. “If you compare overall, in the last ten years, our government has developed maximum infrastructure in those areas,” he said.
Besides rail and road network, work is on to upgrade and build airfields and advanced landing grounds in ladakh and Arunachal to facilitate landing of giant C-17 transport planes, C-130J and AN-32 medium level transport aircraft and helicopters. In fact, 30 projects are in various stages of completion in the north-east and expected to be completed by 2015.