BORDER AREA INFRASTRUTURE DEVELOPMENT

WHY IN NEWS:

• Work on critical border infrastructure such as roads and bridges has gone up by nearly 75 per cent across seven states and union territories sharing borders with China and Pakistan in the last two years, defence ministry data has showed.

SIGNIFICANCE:

• Improving trade with neighbouring countries:
  • Examples of it are trade through Attari-Wagha border and Border Haats with Bangladesh and many more with Nepal, Bhutan, etc.
• Check smuggling:
  • Proper border road infrastructure will reduce trafficking and smuggling, which is currently a big cause concern for India and neighbouring countries.
  • Example: Cattle smuggling in India-Bangladesh border, arms smuggling in Indo-Nepali border, drugs smuggling in Indo-Pak border etc.
• Inclusive growth and development:
  • Border road infrastructure, especially in harsh terrains such as northeast and Jammu & Kashmir provides avenue for self-employment and boost to traditional small scale Industries.
• Enhance tourism potential:
  • Tourism in Himalayas has not reached to its full potential due to improper road infrastructure.
  • To tap full potential of natural tourism avenues we must further improve our border road infra.
• Pushing our soft power diplomacy:
  • One of the major advantages is that through border road infra India will be successful in pushing for her ambitious neighbourhood first policies.
  • It will act as soft power in terms of creating people to people contacts.
  • Best example of this is the most recent project of Kartarpur Corridor.
• Maintaining peace and stability
  • India faces threat of a two front war due to unconventional warfare by Pakistan and muscle flexing by China
  • Border road infra helps in maintaining peace and stability by controlling the security concerns related to inter-region and intra-region issues, such as terrorism, insurgency, external aggression etc.
  • For example Atal tunnel will enable India to rapidly deploy troops and equipment to Ladakh.
  • In 2019 India opened Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi road connecting to a strategic airstrip close to the Chinese border in Ladakh.
  • 30 bridges are commissioned in 2019 alone, on the route to the LAC from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.
• Ensure national integration:
  • The task of national integration which started with independence of India and still going on will be incomplete without border road infra.
  • Connectivity and inclusivity are the important tools for national integration of far-flung areas such as Northeastern states and Ladakh, etc.
• Disaster management:
  • Another important advantage of border infrastructure is in proper and swift disaster management.
  • Difficult and harsh terrains of Indian borders and relatively low development of bordering countries make it inevitable for India to prepared and self-sufficient to handle any kind of disasters.
• Past experience:
  • Without a strong border infrastructure our military and para-military establishments becomes ineffective.
  • For example, during the Kargil War, Srinagar-Leh highway was targeted by Pakistani troops as this is the most important route connecting the two regions which then further connects Siachen.
  • There is another through the Rohtang Pass but remains closed half the year due to snow.
  • Therefore, it is of utmost necessity to open alternative routes.

INITIATIVES:

• Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
  • BRO is engaged in road construction to provide connectivity to difficult and inaccessible regions in the border areas of the country.
  • The BRO operates and maintains over 32,885 kilometres of roads and about 12,200 meters of permanent bridges in the country.
  • Major projects undertaken:
    • Atal tunnel: The world’s longest highway tunnel (9.2 kms) connecting Manali to Lahaul-Spiti cuts time by 4-5 hours and will be open throughout the year. Earlier, this route was closed for 6 months due to snowfall
    • Sela Pass tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh
    • Daulet Beg Oldie-Shyok-Darbuk road >> reasons for the Galwan Valley clash was fast Indian progress on this road
    • Bridges:
      • Project Sampark has achieved 1200.72 m bridge targets in 2019-20
      • BRO has completed 44 of the 102 bridges under construction for this year. 10 bridges were built by the BRO in eastern Ladakh alone.
      • Example: Daporijo Bridge over Subansiri river, connecting Assam to Arunachal
  • Works in foreign countries:
    • Construction of the Delaram-Zaranj Highway in Afghanistan in 2008.
    • The Farkhor and Ayni air bases of Tajikistan were also restored and repaired by the BRO.
• CIBMS (Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System)
  • CIBMS is electronically surveying some parts of the border.
  • One part of CIBMS recently inducted on a pilot basis is BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique) at the Pakistan (10 kms) and Bangladesh (61 kms) borders.
  • This system will monitor unfenced riverine areas of Brahmaputra and its tributaries, thus reducing problems of illegal migration and smuggling from Bangladesh.
  • Entire Brahmaputra has been covered with data network generated by microwave communication, OFC cables, DMR communication, day and night surveillance cameras and intrusion detection system, giving feed to BSF control room who send Quick Reaction Teams to thwart any illegal activity
• Budget allocation:
  • BRO’s budget was nearly stagnant at Rs 4,000 crore between 2009 and 2015, before jumping to Rs 5,400 crore in 2017-18.
  • It has now reached Rs 11,000 crore for the 2020-21 fiscal.
• Border haats:
  • The ‘border haat’ is a trading market place for benefit of local communities on either side of the border.
  • It helped to strengthen ties between the two countries, both culturally and economically
  • Border haats in India-Bangladesh border:
    • Currently, four border haats are operational along the India-Bangladesh border.
    • Two border haats are located in Meghalaya at Kalaichar and Balat
    • Two are located in Tripura at Srinagar and Kamalasagar
  • Border haats in Indo-Myanmar border:
    • First border haat along the Indo-Myanmar border has been opened at Pangshu Pass in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Border Area Development Programme:
  • The BADP has been implemented through 17 States which constitute the International Land Borders.
  • BADP schemes include construction of primary health centres, schools, supply of drinking water, community centres, connectivity, drainage to enable sustainable living in border areas.
• Other initiatives:
  • Up-gradation of intelligence network and co-ordination with sister agencies, conduct of special operations along the border.
  • Introduction of force multipliers and Hi-Tech surveillance equipment’s
  • Vulnerability mapping of entire border has been made a continuous process based on which sensitive spots are identified and adequate measures are taken to further strengthen security in these spots.

CHALLENGES:

• Geo-climatic hindrances:
  • Tough weather and climatic conditions and seismically active areas in most of the border regions >> hinders infrastructure development
• Administrative delays:
  • Inadequate manpower and funds with Border Road organisation (BRO), Red-tapism and bureaucratic delays in projects also act as hindrance.
• Problems with CIBMS:
  • There are technical and maintenance issues such as lack of experts on ground to handle the tech savvy CIBMS creating lack of speed due to which the illegal cross border activities are not witnessing any respite
• Irrational funding under BADP:
  • Presently, 10% of BADP fund allotted to the State Government is earmarked for security related schemes to be implemented by the state police and paramilitary forces and the balance 90% fund is equally distributed amongst the bordering blocks.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Analyse the relevance of border infrastructure for managing security threats faced by India?