Boosting road infrastructure in the Himalayan region is important as it has security dimensions, Union minister Subhash Bhamre said today.
Participating in a two-day seminar organised by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) here, the Minister of State for Defence said building road infrastructure was a vital activity for socio-economic development of an area and its integration with rest of the countries.
"Road infrastructure in the Himalayan region is significant as in such areas having security concerns, a reliable and all-weather connectivity becomes all the more important," he said.
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The minister's remarks come in the wake of India-China stand-off in Dokalam near the Bhutan trijunction.
The government has been focusing to boost infrastructure along the nearly 4,000 km long Sino-India border, including the areas of dispute, following the Dokalam episode.
Bhamre said maintaining an all-weather road in the Upper Himalayan region was a serious concern for road construction agencies due to a difficult terrain, heavy snowfall, intense avalanches, sub-zero temperature, fragile geology and ecological concerns.
"It not only has a major bearing on socio-economic and overall development of the area, but also the strategic needs of the region and its integration with rest of the world," he said.
The Union minister said construction of tunnels was the only viable option to ensure all-weather connectivity and meeting ecological and environmental concerns.
The seminar titled 'Challenges in Planning, Investigation, Design and Construction of Highway Tunnels in Himalayan Region' was also addressed by Director General of BRO Lt General S K Srivastava, Engineer in Chief and Senior Colonel Commandant Lt General Suresh Sharma, Delhi Metro MD Mangu Singh, and IIT Delhi director Prof V Ramgopal Rao.
Rao offered expertise of his institution to the BRO for monitor and maintenance of the tunnel-like structures built by the latter.
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