Border roads to be constructed in states along Nepal: Shinde

Supaul: Border roads will be constructed in all states along Nepal, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Tuesday.

Shinde said this during the foundation laying ceremony of a 552-km border road along the Indo-Nepal border running parallel to the East West Corridor. The proposed border road would run from Madanpur in West Champaran district to Galgatia in Kisanganj district. Addressing a public function with state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after the foundation laying function, Shinde said the Centre would provide Rs 1,656 crore for the project. The Union Minister who also laid foundation stone of a training centre for Sahashtra Seema Bal (SSB) at Supual lauded the Bihar government for acquiring 111 acre land for the purpose. The training centre which would be ready by 2014 at an estimated cost of Rs 98 crore would have provision to impart training to 1,500 jawans in one session, Shinde said. Speaking on the occasion, Nitish said the state government would spend Rs 1,992 crore on acquiring land and constructing bridges on the proposed border road. Kumar said his government has set the target to keep travel from this district headquarter town to the state capital in a maximum time of six hours. The chief minister also reiterated his demand for special status for the state saying it lagged behind on all major developmental indices as compared to national average. Union Home Secretary R K Singh, state Energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Director General of SSB Arun Chaudhary and Secretary Road Construction Department Pratya Amrit were also present on the occasion. PTI