India spent ₹15,000 cr on roads near India-China border in past 5 years: Centre

Overall, India has spent ₹20,767 crore on construction of 3,595 km of roads to provide all-weather access to borders with China, Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh

Amid tensions between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), especially since 2020, the central government told the Rajya Sabha on Monday that India has constructed all-weather roads measuring 2,088 km along improve connectivity to areas near the India-China border over the last five years, with the construction activity reflecting New Delhi’s focus on infrastructure development in forward areas.

(From left) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, MoS (defence) Ajay Bhatt and national security advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI Photo)

The government has spent ₹15,477 crore on road projects near the India-China border in the said time period, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt said in a written reply to a question in the upper house of Parliament.

Overall, India has spent ₹20,767 crore on construction of 3,595 km of roads to provide all-weather access to borders with China, Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, Bhatt said, adding that these projects were undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and include 1,336 km of roads at a cost of ₹4,242 crore near the India-Pakistan border.

While India has been focused on improving connectivity to areas near the India-China border, the ongoing standoff along the LAC in Ladakh sector saw the country accelerate infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges and tunnels.

The BRO plans to complete all 61 strategic roads assigned to it along the China border by December 2022 to allow swifter mobilisation of troops and stores to forward areas, even as China is scaling up infrastructure along its side of LAC, officials said.

India and China have been locked in a fierce standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 2020. A full resolution is still not in sight even though the two sides have had limited success in disengaging rival soldiers from some flashpoints.

New Delhi and Beijing will stay in close contact, and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels for a mutually acceptable resolution of outstanding problems along the LAC at the earliest, the two sides had said in a joint statement issued after the 16th round of military talks on July 17.

The latest round of talks came against the backdrop of outstanding problems at Patrol Point-15 near Kongka La, Depsang Bulge in Daulet Beg Oldi sector and Charding Nullah Junction (CNJ) in Demchok sector.

Despite disengagement of soldiers from the Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Gogra-Hot Springs areas, the two sides still have around 60,000 troops each and advanced weaponry deployed in the Ladakh theatre.