Parliamentary panel pulls up BRO over road connectivity to Tawang

A parliamentary panel has pulled up the Border Roads Organisation over lack of road connectivity to Tawang, near the Sino-Indian border, saying in case of war the Indian Army would not be able to reach there in a day while the "neighbouring country" would only take a few hours.

Tawang, a border district in Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the areas to which China has staked its claim.

Parliament's standing committee on defence, in a recently-tabled report, said it was "dismayed to note that in Tawang area the situation is very critical insofar as connectivity is concerned".

"While our neighbouring country can reach the border within two or three hours, our Army takes more than a day to reach there. This is a matter of great concern with regard to our defence preparedness," the report said.

The committee has recommended the construction of "good quality roads in this area on priority basis".

The committee also said that connectivity between Himachal Pradesh and the Ladakh region is "very crucial" for the expeditious movement of troops and equipment, and recommended the construction of the Nyemo-Padum-Darcha Road to connect the two.