BRO to fast-track road construction along border with China

SHIMLA: As China continues to expand its infrastructure at a blistering speed along the border, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has decided to speed up construction of roads in tribal Kinnaur and Lahaulspiti districts leading to Sinoindia border.

Indian Army's elite road construction agency, BRO, has proposed to complete construction of the strategically significant road connecting Kinnaur district’s Powari to Samdoh in Lahaul and Spiti districts by end of this year . “We have ordered new machinery and have set the target to complete major roads by this year’s end,” said BRO chief engineer Brigadier Dinesh Tyagi.

“We have also targeted to complete the road widening on 205km Samdoh- Kaza and Gramphoo road stretch as well,” informed Tyagi. .

The two-laning of the stretch will help in faster movement of troops to the border areas, he added.

Apart from road construction, BRO has also planned to build as many as one dozen new bridges on roads connecting border areas. So far, the agency has been able to complete the construction of four bridges among which 300-meter bridge at Akpa in Kinnaur being the longest.

“It's cantilever bridge and will be thrown open for traffic shortly. Centre or state leaders are likely to inaugurate the bridge soon,” Tyagi said.

Himachal shares 260km of porous border with China. Of total border length, 140km lies along tribal Kinnaur district, while 80km of border is along Lahaul and Spiti district. Though Himachal’s border with China remains peaceful, the neighbouring state’s fast pace of infrastructure expansion has been a matter of concern for the government.

On the other hand, the abysmal progress on infrastructure and road projects along China border in Himachal's two district has raised apprehensions of state government which has been persistently asking the Centre to fast track the construction and completion of projects along the international border. Meanwhile, another bridge with a load capacity of 70 tonne is being constructed in Khadrup in Lahaul and Spiti districts

CHALLENGES

Even as BRO shows keenness to speed up work, it is facing difficulty in procuring the construction material, including sand and grit.

The agency had asked the Himachal government to allow installation of a potable stone crusher, on the analogy of National Highway Authority of India, at the construction site, which was denied. “The government has allowed the NHAI to install stone crushers but not us,” said another BRO official requesting anonymity.

With Indian troops reeling under the challenges of poor communication, electricity shortage and roads construction, China, in the past few months, has undertaken more construction of roads to improve connectivity along the border.

Apart from an airfield at Lupsuk, 190km away from sugar point in Kaurik in Lahaul and Spiti, it has also built permanent concrete structures for its soldiers and have erected mobile communication towers to enhance phone connectivity.

The army garrison in the border areas have to rely on diesel operated generators, as snow disrupts the electricity supply during the winter season.

CONSTRUCTION OF 6 NEW BRIDGES ON ROADS CONNECTING BORDER AREAS ALSO PLANNED