The Union home ministry has submitted a detailed proposal to build nearly 2000 km highly strategic all- weather road, overseeing the entire China border in Arunachal Pradesh, to the PMO for clearance.
Top sources in the government told dna that the standalone road project between Tawang and Vijaynagar - covering the entire length of Arunachal Pradesh from far east to the western most point - will go long the high ridge of the eastern Himalayas and will put India at least at par, if not better, with China in terms of border infrastructure.
The alignment envisaged of the road project is such that it will overlook China from nearly all vantage points thus giving India strategic reach. Besides, making the life of Indian jawans easier, who are perched at remote border outposts in sub-zero temperatures, the Tawang-Vijaynagar road will help in checking migration of the native border population by providing them much needed connectivity.
"The road project is such both strategically and cost wise that it needs to be cleared at the highest level after taking all consideration in mind. According to initial estimates, the entire project is expected to touch Rs50,000 crore and will take about 5 years to complete," the sources said.
Conceding that it would not be an easy decision for the prime minister to make because of China's tough stance on border infrastructure, the source said, "If sanctioning of the project takes time, we may go ahead with smaller roads that does not raise many eyebrows but help us giving final shape to the mother of all roads on China border," said the source.
Recently, China had forced India to stop the construction work of a canal in Demchok in Ladakh and also remove makeshift huts in Chumar. How China will take this development and what India's response would be anybody's guess.
The home ministry's proposal sent to the PMO about a week ago accompanies nod from various stakeholder ministries, including defense, environment and forests, surface road and transport, and also Army and the national security advisor, AK Doval.
Once the project gets PMO's nod and clears the hurdle of the cabinet committee on security (CCS), the home ministry is expected to ask the National Highways Authority of India to prepare a detailed project report (DPR).
"We have taken in principle decision to rope in NHAI instead of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) as NHAI has much better track record of completing projects within reasonable time," the source added.
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