After China and Pak forays, Indian Army too is planning to develop rail and road networks at J&K border
After China and Pak forays, Indian Army too is planning to develop rail and road networks at J&K border
With China and Pakistan developing rail and road infrastructure near their borders with India, the Indian Army is
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Karakoram highway in Pakistan |
also planning a similar network in Ladakh. The strategically-located region connects India's frontiers with both the nations.
China's advances has made India take a very serious note of the issue and the Ministry of Defence is considering the matter on top priority basis, sources said. Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor also talked about the plans, however, he did not reveal the details during the army commander's conference that began in New Delhi from Monday.
"The need of the hour is to have connectivity in the region throughout the year. The main highway National Highway One Alpha which connects Kashmir Valley and Ladakh remains closed for more than six months." said a senior Defence Ministry official on the condition of anonymity.
According to defence experts, India has sought to address the issue quite late. "Both China and Pakistan are improving road networks on the strategically located Karakoram highway, connecting Xinjinag province to Gwadar port in Pakistan," the official said.
Defence Ministry sources also confirmed that the issue would be discussed threadbare at the four-day long commander's conference. The army engineers and Indian railway officials have already inspected the area.
"There is an existing rail link between Jammu and Udhampur which will be further extended to Srinagar. There is a serious need to counter Chinese advances in terms of infrastructure development in the area," said another Ministry official, requesting anonymity.
"The road and rail link will also help in developing economic infrastructure in the area, which has seen very little development in the last six decades," the official added.
