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Journalism of Courage
Road connectivity in areas of strategic importance in the Northeast is set to get a boost with the Union Home Ministry asking states to identify new links that can be developed.
In a letter to the states last week, the ministry has pointed to the need to upgrade and create new road links due to the strategic importance of the region.
These new roads would be in addition to the projects already being implemented as part of the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP), the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the Northeast and the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana.
Security forces deployed in the region have been pointing out that poor roads or lack of roads make movement of forces a difficult proposition. The absence of rail links only compounds the problem.
Apart from helping movement of troops along the border, better roads would also negate the advantage militant groups like the ULFA have when fleeing into the jungles or across the border.
The Northeast states —- Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Tripura —- share borders with Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar. A stronger road network would also help socio-economic development of the region. Once the states identify the links that can be developed, the Home Ministry will take up with the matter with the ministries concerned at the Centre.
Under the existing schemes, 678 km will be constructed from Srirampur on West Bengal-Assam border to Silchar as part of the NHDP. Over 7,600 km of roads are being constructed under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the Northeast.
