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Worried over the rapid pace of Chinese border infrastructure development, the Indian Army which is unhappy at the slow pace of construction of roads on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control has recently submitted a proposal to the defence ministry that the Border Roads Organisation should be directly put under the Army and report to the Army vice-chief. In the wake of the change in government at the Centre, the Army is pushing for drastic speeding up of border infrastructure development, including swift construction of border roads.

The Army is distressed by the fact that of 73 proposed strategic roads to be built on the Indian side of the border, only 17 have been completed, sources said. Of 73 strategic roads, as many as 54 should have been ready by the end of 2013 itself.

The BRO, as an organisation, is led by an Army officer of the rank of lieutenant-general from the Corps of Engineers and functions directly under the MoD’s purview. The BRO’s role is develop and maintain the operational road infrastructure in border areas and support the armed forces’ strategic needs.

“The Army is unhappy with the slow pace of progress and lack of completion of various border road projects near the Sino-Indian border. The Army has proposed that the BRO be directly under the Army and report to the Army vice-chief. The proposal is under the consideration of the MoD,” a source said.

Army Chief Gen. Bikram Singh recently met transport minister Nitin Gadkari to discuss the status of crucial border road projects. The completion of the border road projects on the Sino-Indian border is one of the Army’s top priorities.The government had earlier admitted China’s creation of border infrastructure was far superior and quicker when compared to India. “China has constructed roads from all (its) highways, logistic centres and major defence installations to all passes and (its) military on the Line of Actual Control/international border,” it had said.

The defence minister had also earlier noted: “In recent years, China has undertaken development projects of constructing roads in the Tibet Autonomous Region. All major highways (in Tibet) have been upgraded to two-way black top all-weather and opened for traffic throughout the year.”

In February this year, a report of the parliamentary standing committee on defence noted: “The rise of China is posing a serious strategic challenge to India. Several developments in China like enhancement of military capabilities through its modernisation programme development of infrastructure along the India-China border (especially in Tibet), expansion of roads and railways opposite Arunachal Pradesh, inroads into the Indian Ocean Region and adoption of high technology especially nuclear, space and missile capabilities are affecting the strategic balance between the two countries.”

Expressing dismay at India’s slow border infrastructure development compared to China, the report also said the threats perceived by India were due to the “slow pace in keeping abreast of technological and infrastructural advancement in comparison to our territorial neighbours, especially China”.