One militant killed in infiltration bid, three overground workers arrested
vary between 11,000 and 12,000 ft,” Swaroop told HT from district headquarters Bomdila.
The survey for land acquisition will start after the monsoon, she said.
Much of the land in Arunachal Pradesh is community-owned, which complicates the process of acquiring land for government projects. The Sela area is sparsely populated.
Officials do not envisage challenges, particularly after 152 families of Senge, Nyukmadung and Lish villages – all located between Bomdila and Sela – in West Kameng district were given Rs 42 lakh each in April as compensation for land acquired by the army after the 1962 Chinese attack.
“The villagers had to wait 50 years to get compensation, but as they say, it is better late than never,” state chief minister Pema Khandu had said while handing over the chequee to the villagers.
Villagers of West Kameng and Tawang districts will be entitled for the compensation for the tunnels. Sela is the boundary between the two districts.
Armed forces and district officials did not specify if the existing road – more picturesque from the tourist point of view despite the backbreaking journey – will continue to be used by civilians after the tunnels are made.
“First, let the Sela bypass and the tunnels be completed, which is a long time away,” a district officer said.
Also in the realm of probability is the train to Tawang after minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha commenced the final location survey for the 378km Bhalukpong-Tenga-Tawang railway in April.
The project, if undertaken, could cost the Indian Railways more than ₹70,000 crore.
A broad gauge line exists till Bhalukpong, considered the gateway to Tawang about 290 km away.
The Indian Army on Sunday morning foiled an infiltration bid by killing a militant in North Kashmir’s Machhal Sector.
This infiltration bid comes at a time of high cross-border violence between India and Pakistan. Troops guarding the Line of Control noticed suspicious movement and immediately challenged the intruders.
“One terrorist has been killed in Machhal sector of Kupwara district of the LoC today where the army has foiled an infiltration bid.” defence ministry spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said. He said the operation is in progress.
The police on Sunday arrested three overground workers (OWGs) of militants in Srinagar and recovered an AK-47 rifle from their possession.
OWGs are described by the security forces as facilitators of militants who arrange hideouts, ferry weapons and keep an eye on movement of security forces. The body of Army jawan Jayadrath Singh, who was killed in firing by Pakistani forces along the LoC in the Sunderbani sector of Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated on Sunday in his native village Bhagwanpur, in Saharanpur district. Thousands attended the funeral.