India Building Roads and Railways in Tawang near Tibet Border

Friday, 05 August 2011

Dharamshala: - According to a report by the Economic Times, India will build three strategic rail lines close to the Chinese occupied Tibet border. A government report has said that the three lines will link the Indian state of Assam with Arunachal Pradesh.

One line will run from Assam to Tawang, an Indian military base that borders Bhutan and Tibet. At present, the only way to reach Tawang is by helicopter or a road that is often closed due to weather.

India has been increasingly concerned about Chinese infrastructure build-up along the border, as China is seen as a potential long-term threat to its security.

India will construct permanent military posts along the 4,057 kilometre Line of Action Control between Indian and Tibetan territories.

In the past, India has avoided border development because of concerns that roads and railways would make military invasion easier. However, due to China's recent development on its side of the border, India feels it is necessary to assert claim over its territory by making development and tourism easier in border areas.

The Economic Times quoted chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Satpal Maharaj as saying, "China is creating a (border) rail network and so should we."

The project, which also includes the building of a series of roads as well as permanent defenses, has faced problems because the engineers are working in a very remote area with quite difficult terrain and geography. Workers as well as equipment have to be brought in by helicopter.

The Indian Express reports that about 50 percent of the work on the 73 border road projects has been completed.