The Defence Ministry is yet to start work on building strategic rail network in border areas, mostly in North-East, despite an allocation of Rs1,000 crore eight months ago in the current fiscal. This fund was allotted to lay down the framework for the project to counter the influence of China, which has built more than 5,000 km of rail in the Tibetan plateau close to the 4,000 km line of Actual Control (lAC).
The Rs1,000 crore fund was earmarked for carrying out survey for two proposed rail lines in the North-East, including Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Indian Railways was expected to execute the project, including conducting survey and building rail infrastructure, while the Defence Ministry had to finance it. With no progress on the ground, the Defence Ministry may have to surrender the allocation due to its inability to spend the money, sources said on Tuesday.
Tabling the Budget for 2014-15, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was then also holding the charge of Defence portfolio, allotted Rs1,000 crore for “accelerating the development of railway system in the border areas.”
At least 14 proposed strategic rail networks in States facing China — including Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh — are in the pipeline for the last one decade. These networks totalling 31,000 kms were identified by the Army for ensuring logistical support in terms of supply of weapons and troops’ mobilistion to the front line. The estimated cost of this project is more than Rs57,000 crores.
China already has ensured year-round logistical support through the rail network and can rush troops to the front from the mainland. Moreover, it has five operational airbases in Tibetan plateau besides more than 10,000 km of road network.
This vastly superior infrastructure has put India at a distinct disadvantage as troops have to trek for nearly five days from the nearest road head in Arunachal Pradesh. The situation is same in ladakh where soldiers have to climb heights of more than 16,000 feet to reach the front in many sectors.
However, the strategic rail network is still in the planning stage and Rs1,000 crore was allocated to kick-start this vital project of “national importance.” Given the delay in starting the groundwork like conducting feasibility study, officials said the Finance Ministry may not be considerate in granting funds in the next Budget to be announced on February 28.
Though Rs1,000 crore may appear to be too small, they said if the initial process had started, the Defence Ministry had a strong case in pushing the Government for according top priority to the strategic rail network project.
They also said the delay will affect operational preparedness as the construction of these rail lines through inaccessible terrain will take more than 10 years even if the clearances, including funds come now. In contrast, China is already building another critical rail link which will come very close to Sikkim and this project is likely to be completed in the next three to four years thereby posing direct threat to the North-East region.
Coupled with the delay in building rail network, only 18 of the 73 roads of strategic importance totalling 3,900 km are now complete. These roads are located in ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. These roads were to be completed by 2012 and the entire project will now taken another three to four years, they said.
In this backdrop, the plan to modernise 30 airfields and advanced landing grounds, mostly in North-East is as per schedule. The project started four years back and is expected to be over in next two years. Once ready for operational use, the IAF can land its small AN-32 transport aircraft and giant C-17 Globemasters and Il-76 carrying troops and weapons in remote areas.