India has been lacking in infrastructure development as compared to China, which has metalled roads in most of the areas bordering India, which has given the PLA advantage over the Indian troops, who had to trek several kilometers on foot in the absence of roads.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government of India had chalked out an ambitious project to construct 27 roads along the LAC bordering China on top priority basis to match infrastructure strength of the PLA, which has been increasing its activities day-by-day in Ladakh and North East.
Total length of the roads being constructed on priority basis along Indo-China border is 805 kilometers.
“The construction of 805 kilometers metalled road along the China border is one among various steps initiated by the Indian Government to improve infrastructure along the LAC with China. After 27 major roads, more projects would be launched to ensure that almost entire LAC with China was metalled and the Army troops were in a position to take vehicles right up to the Zero Line,’’ sources said.
They added that the project authorities engaged in construction of roads have been asked to complete the work expeditiously. The authorities have been briefed that the funds would be no bar for them.
Apart from Leh, the construction of roads along with China borders was also being given priority in North Eastern States
“Though presently, trouble from the Chinese side was confined to Leh, the PLA quite often had been creating problems in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also,’’ sources pointed out and said the Centre was acting taking into account the long term action plan to strengthen its road network and other infrastructure facilities.
Sources added that the Government of India has also initiated various other measures to strengthen its infrastructure to match strength of the Chinese Army.
“Some of the measures being taken by the Government and the Army can’t be disclosed due to their strategic nature. But definitely, a number of measures are in the pipeline to match the PLA,’’ they said.
Admitting that presently China was better placed along the LAC with India as far as infrastructure facilities were concerned, sources asserted that it could take a lot of time for India to match strength of China but added that definitely a beginning has been made to do whatever was possible to equip the troops.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) manned most of the border with China apart from the Army.
For the past quite sometime, the PLA has been breaching LAC in Leh. Standoff between India and China at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) sector in April this year had lasted several days and ended on the eve of External Affairs Minister SM Krishna’s visit to Beijing.
Even after that, Chinese troops have made several incursions inside the Indian territory. For the past few days, the incursions in Leh sector were being reported frequently despite peace moves by political leadership of the two countries.
Source: http://tinyurl.com/kv7khho
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