Work being expedited on improving connectivity on China border

Work is being expedited on improving surface connectivity and communication along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, with 1425 kms of road length being taken up, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today while acknowledging problems on these aspects.
He also said that ITBP, which guards 3488 kms of the border with China with "determination and dedication", should get better equipment and a large number of facilities which are scarce for them.
The Minister, while interacting with ITBP officers and jawans here, also said that he will try to clear "within days" the proposal of setting up of 8 battalions of ITBP, 40 border posts, 12 subsidary posts and 12 staging camps.

On communication front, he said the government has given approval for mobile towers to 34 BOPs and that work has started on setting up of mobile towers.
"I was telling your DG that I do not want to make only promises to you," Singh said as he, accompanied by ITBP chief Krishen Choudhary, began a three-day visit to Jammu and Ladakh to take stock of the situation on the International Border in the Jammu region and the LAC between India and China in the Ladakh region of the state.
"There is a problem of road connectivity in these areas. I have knowledge of this. There is also problem of communication along the borderline," the Home Minister said.

"In 2008, construction of 804 kms of road length along India-China border was approved but due to some reasons, 804 kms road length could not be constructed but 191 km road length has been set up and work is on for the rest (613 kms) of the project," he said.
"In second phase, we have decided to construct 812 km of road length," he said.
He said he also feels that jawans of ITBP should get better equipment and there is scarcity of large number of facilities which should also made available to them.