India often engages in cross-border fire with Pakistan along the 740 km Line of Control with Pakistan, and has reduced the troop deployment time along the border with six new bridges in Jammu and Kashmir. The Tarnah-II bridge on NH-44 will provide easier access to troops and army convoys from Pathankot to Jammu.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated Tarnah-I (160 metre), Tarnah-II (300 metre), Palwan (91 metre), Ghodawala (151 metre), Pahadiwala (61 metre) and Panyali (30 metre) in Jammu and Kashmir.
श्रमेण सर्वम साध्यम! pic.twitter.com/h5TuFCA1Zt
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) July 9, 2020
Considering the heightened cross-border firing that takes place in the remote areas bordering Pakistan, these bridges will facilitate the movement of the Armed Forces in these strategically important sectors.
“The construction of these bridges will provide relief to the local people and the army convoys. About 400,000 people from 217 villages will directly benefit from the construction of the bridges,” the Defence Minister said.
Out of the six bridges, constructed at a cost of US$ 6 Million, four are located in the Akhnoor sector and two in the Jammu-Rajpura area. Earlier in the week, the defence minister had a review meeting with BRO officials on improving the infrastructure near the Line of Actual Control with China and the Line of Control with Pakistan (LOC).
In May, the minister had inaugurated an 80 km road at Lipulekh Pass, easing access to the border with China. The Indian government has also approved an additional $225 million for strategic road projects in Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.
China had objected to India’s rapid infrastructure development along the 4,057 km LAC, resulting in an over 9-week stand-off between the armies.
Along with 61 roads, BRO is working on 17 highways along the eastern border areas. They are being converted to double lanes and for use as airstrips for fighter jets during war-like situations. The highways will have weapons storage dumps, landing lights, fuel, and firefighting equipment.
