Maximum effort being put into building border roads: Antony

New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) In the backdrop of massive
infrastructure build-up by China near India's frontiers,
Defence Minister of India A K Antony Thursday said "maximum
effort" was being put into constructing roads along the
Indo-Chinese borders.
"Maximum effort is being put into building the 73 Indo
China border roads (ICBR) wherein 61 units have been moved to
Jammu and Kashmir, seven in Himachal, 46 in Araunchal Pradesh
and 21 in Sikkim," he said.
The Defence Minister's statement was regarding the
status of the implementation of recommendations of the
Standing Committee on Defence.
The Minister said coordination meetings under Special
Secretary in the Ministry were being held for expeditious
execution of border roads construction.
He said the delays in obtaining forest clearances and
inadequate availability of air effort were the main reasons
behind delay in the commissioning of 116 roads of total length
of 3,765 km under the Long Term Perspective Plan of border
roads.
"Government has taken various steps to obviate these
problems and the Environment Ministry has activated a single
window clearance to clear the proposal of Border Roads
Organisation (BRO) on priority," the Minister added.
Antony said the matter was deliberated at various
levels and the Environment Ministry has set up a three-level
single window clearance system at district, state and ministry
level.
"Environment Ministry teams will visit different
states to sensitise teams at various levels see the progress
in operationalisation of single window system. Ministry of
Home Affairs is coordinating the issue to table a draft bill
in the Parliament," he added.
The Defence Minister said incentives have been
approved for contractors in high altitude areas, air efforts
have been approved and recruitments have been increased for
the BRO.
The air-lift requirements of the BRO are fulfilled by
the Indian Air Force and the Pawan Hans Private Limited.