Question : ROAD CONSTRUCTION ALONG BORDERS

(a) the details of roads sanctioned alongwith the present status of construction work on the roads along the borders including the Sino-India and Indo-Nepal borders during each of the last three years and the current year, border wise;

(b) the status of fencing and flood lighting projects on the borders, border-wise;

(c) whether any revision of targets and costs of fencing and flood- lighting on the borders has been made;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether in view of load shedding and power failure there is any proposal to provide solar power for flood lighting along the border areas/fences;

(f) if so, the details thereof;

(g) whether such infrastructure development along the borders has helped in curtailing infiltration; and

(h) if so, the details thereof, alongwith the number of infiltration attempts repelled during the current year, border-wise?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN)

(a) to (h): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.2004

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2004 FOR 01-12-2009

(a) & (b): Out of 3436 Km of fencing and 4326 Km of border roads sanctioned by the Government on Indo-Bangladesh border, the work of construction of 2677 Km of fencing and 3330 Km of border roads has been completed. 277 Km of floodlighting works have also been completed in West Bengal as a pilot project. Further, the Government have decided to undertake floodlighting in 2840 Km along this border.

1915 Km of fencing and 1861 Km of floodlighting works have been completed on Indo-Pakistan border out of 2043 Km of fencing and 2009 Km of floodlighting sanctioned by the Government. Out of 340 Km of border roads sanctioned by the Government in Gujarat sector on Indo-Pakistan border, the work of construction of 219 Km of border roads have been completed.

In order to improve the road infrastructure along Indo-China border, the Government have undertaken the construction of 27 strategic roads totaling approximately 804 Km. The construction of 11 roads has since started.

Development of road infrastructure on Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders has been receiving the attention of the Government.

(c) & (d): The Government have approved the revision of targets of fencing and road works along Indo-Bangladesh border from earlier sanctioned works of 2429.50 Km of fencing and 797 Km of roads to 2579 Km and 1422 Km respectively under Phase-II. The revised cost on account of revision in the targets of fencing and roads is Rs.4393.67 crore against earlier sanctioned cost estimates of Rs.2876.17 crore. Along Indo-Pakistan border, the Government have approved the revision of cost estimates in fencing, floodlighting, roads and Border Out Posts (BOPs) works from the earlier sanctioned Rs.380.00 crore to Rs.1201.00 crore.

(e): No, Madam.

(f): The question does not arise.

(g) & (h): Construction of fencing, floodlighting and roads has resulted in curbing the illegal activities including infiltration on Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Pakistan borders. During the current year till 31st October, 2009, 42 cases of apprehension on Indo-Pakistan international border and 749 apprehension cases have been reported which were repelled by Border Security Force. There are no significant incidences of infiltration on the other borders.