NEW DELHI, Jan 13: The government will construct 44 strategic roads along the border with China and over 2100 kms of axial and lateral roads in Punjab and Rajasthan, abutting Pakistan, a central public works department (CPWD) document shows.
According to an annual report (2018-19) prepared, and released earlier this month by the CPWD, the agency has been asked to construct 44 “strategically important” roads along the India-China border to ensure quick mobilization of troops in case of a conflict.
The nearly 4000-km-long Line of Actual Control between India and China touches areas from Jammu & Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.
The report comes at a time when China is giving priority to projects along its India borders. Last year, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a face-off at the Doklam tri-junction after the neighbouring country had begun building a road in the area.
The standoff ended on 28 August following a mutual agreement under which China stopped the construction of the road and India withdrew its troops.
The report stated that these 44 strategically important roads along the India-China border will be constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 21,000 crore.
“The CPWD has been entrusted with construction of 44 strategically important roads along the Indo-China border spanning five states of J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh,” the report stated.
“The total cost of work as per the detailed project reports (DPR) is approximately Rs 21,040 crore,” the report stated.
It said the process of approval of DPRs by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is underway. (PTI)
