CRPF to build roads in Chhattisgarh

The paramilitary force will set up Engineering Battalions, combining road construction and security, and has recruited 34 engineers.

The Central government has given the CRPF the task of constructing roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna in Chhattisgarh, where absence of proper roads has been hurting anti-Naxal operations. The paramilitary force will set up Engineering Battalions, combining road construction and security, and has recruited 34 engineers. They will start with Bijapur district where eight roads in Bhairamgarh have been allotted to CRPF.

State PWD proved inefficient for the task and contractors did not turn up fearing Maoist threats. The road construction, CRPF believes, could be a gamechanger in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

“We have been nominated under PMGSY for constructing roads in Bastar. At first, some roads in Bijapur have been allotted . We have recruited engineers,” HS Siddhu, CRPF IG, Chhattisgarh, said. “Not many contractors come forward when tenders are floated. Our engineers will supervise construction. Roads will be built under our close watch,” said CRPF DG Dilip Trivedi.

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The CRPF has been deliberating on setting up its Engineering Battalions. Full-fledged battalions would take some time, Siddhu said, adding the present project would pave the way. “Once we develop ro-ad building capacity, it would be a gamechanger in anti-Naxal operations,” he said.

“We will focus on villages along roads and develop basic facilities like sanitation, irrigation and schools so that villagers have a stake in road construction. The funds of our Civic Action plan will go for developing neighbouring areas. We expect resistance from Naxals but if villagers are roped in and they see improvement in their lives it will be hard for Naxals to damage roads,” Siddhu said.

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