Arunachal Pradesh: BRO to speed up ongoing road construction in border areas

Itanagar: With Indo-China border tension growing day by day since early May last, it has only escalated after the bloodiest border row with China in 45 years that had left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead, Central Government has reportedly directed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to speed up construction of the ongoing roads to the border areas.

This aims at ensuring that a 1962 like situation is not repeated again. India approximately shares 3,488 km border with China including 1,126 km in Arunachal Pradesh making the state a highly sensitive location.

The McMahon Line, part of 1914 Shimla Convention agreement signed between British India and Tibet, demarcates the border between two Asian giants, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which China disputes.

Though the Indian Elite Marine Commandos (MARCOS) was deployed near to the Pangong Lake area in Eastern Ladakh in November last, still a high-level meeting had taken place in BRO'S Arunanak headquarters in Naharlagun on Monday which was chaired by chief engineer Brig AS Chonker to take important decisions.

The meeting was attended by the Border Road Task Force (BRTF) commander and other few senior engineers are likely to reach border areas in Upper Subansiri district on a helicopter on Tuesday to receive stock of the present status and give a push to the ongoing process.

However, the chief engineer could not be contacted and not much has been known about the source of the high place that is confirmed about the confidential meeting.

The BRO had decided to go ahead with the important road infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh following a review meeting on July 17 last.

The Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, Naresh Kumar, had tweeted, "A meeting was held via video link between BRO Director General Lt Gen Harpal Singh to ensure faster progress of infrastructure development projects in the state."

The meeting had addressed issues of land acquisition, forest clearance, allocation of quarries, joint surveys. The CS had given assurance to DG of full cooperation of all the departments to give fresh momentum to the road construction.

However, an official had called the meeting to be very important for the BRO to complete all road infrastructure in the border state within the given deadline.

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