New Delhi: Defence Minister AK Antony on Friday
asked the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to speed up the
construction of strategic roads along the boundary with China
for enabling swift movement and deployment of troops there.
At a meeting to review the performance and functioning of
the BRO, the Defence Minister asked top officials of the
organisation to expedite work on more than 50 roads along
the border, BRO sources told agency.
Government has accorded high priority to the construction
of these roads and had even pulled out a BRO unit from
construction of a highway passing through the naxal-infested
areas of Chhattisgarh.
This project has also been marred by allegations of
financial irregularities for which the Defence Ministry had
ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) under Lt Gen SS Sengupta,
Commandant of the Pune-based College of Military Engineering.
The Minister asked the BRO to prioritise the air lift of
construction equipment to remote locations in the hilly areas
for these projects.
BRO has also been trying to negotiate contracts with
private operators to augment the airlift support provided to
it by the Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers.
The Ministry has also been assured full support by the
Environment Ministry for providing environmental clearances
for construction activities under this strategic project.
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 18, 2011, 21:39