India boring border tunnels to take on China, Pakistan

[Yusuf]

NEW DELHI: India is finally kick-starting the plan to build as many as 18 tunnels along the borders with Pakistan and China for faster troop mobility as well as storage of critical war-fighting assets like missiles, without the threat of detection by enemy satellites and spy drones.

While preliminary work on seven tunnels is underway after requisite approvals, the construction of 11 more tunnels in Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh is now on the drawing board after "a strong endorsement'' by the Army.

With China resorting to "tunnelling in a big way'' to store important military equipment, the Army wants the tunnel construction plans in the mountains in J&K and north-east to be fast-tracked. "The tunnels will provide shelter to troops and ammunition from both enemy shelling and extreme weather. They can also be used for NBC (nuclear, chemical, biological) protection and establishing command and control centres,'' said a top official.

Actual construction work is underway only in one of the 18 proposed tunnels. But, this long-delayed 8.82-km long horse-shoe shaped tunnel under the 13,400-feet Rohtang Pass, on the Manali-Sarchu-Leh axis, is unlikely to meet its completion deadline of February, 2015. Feasibility studies and preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) for three more tunnels at Zozila, Z-Morh and Razdhan Pass in J&K are in progress, while similar work is planned for Khardungla and Sadhana Pass in J&K and Theng in Sikkim. The other proposed tunnels include Rangpo in Sikkim and on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang axis in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Army is anxious the existing large gaps in border infrastructure - in terms of all-weather roads, tunnels, strategic railway lines, "permanent defences'' and the like - are plugged as fast as possible. China, for instance, can move around 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the borders within 30 days to outnumber Indian forces by at least 3:1 after undertaking massive infrastructure development all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, as earlier reported by TOI. An empowered committee under defence secretary Shashikant Sharma is scrutinizing DPRs for the proposed overall "capability development plan on the northern borders'' worth Rs 26,155 crore. While this is slated is slated for completion by 2020-2021, there is an ongoing Rs 9,243 crore project for "infrastructure development in the eastern theatre'' by 2016-2017.

The Army hopes the projects are not hit by huge time overruns like the 73 all-weather roads earmarked for construction along the three sectors of LAC close to a decade ago. Defence minister A K Antony admitted in LS this week that just 16 of those roads have been finished till now, with another 26 slated for completion by 2013, and 19 more by 2016.
India boring border tunnels to take on China, Pakistan - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site

 

[no smoking]

Sometimes, indian media's imagination is really beyond your wild guess.

"China, for instance, can move around 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the borders within 30 days to outnumber Indian forces by at least 3:1 after undertaking massive infrastructure development all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, as earlier reported by TOI."

Maybe they forget that it is more possible for Chinese logistic system to collapse even before these "30 divisions" to fight.



"

 

[Yusuf]

Sometimes, indian media's imagination is really beyond your wild guess.

"China, for instance, can move around 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the borders within 30 days to outnumber Indian forces by at least 3:1 after undertaking massive infrastructure development all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, as earlier reported by TOI."

Maybe they forget that it is more possible for Chinese logistic system to collapse even before these "30 divisions" to fight.



"

Thats good to hear but we will not take chances. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Rahul92]

Why they heck we announce these publicly

 

[sob]

It is good that the infrastructure is being beefed up. Will go a long way to keep the troops supplied in forward areas.

 

[Bhadra]

India needs to build up tennels to;

Link up raods

solve problems of gradients and torturous routes over passes.

Build all weather roads

Build diversions

build missile silos

build safe area for strategic assets

Disaster management

Safe Command and control centres....

much more and much more.....

 

[drkrn]

Why they heck we announce these publicly

democracy.

a public representative questions and another responsible representative gives the info in parliament

 

[Bhadra]

Why they heck we announce these publicly

In diplomacy, some statements are given to warn, some to deceive, some to deter, some to frighten, some to demonstrate. Every thing is for effect
Now, it is your understanding....

 

[sayareakd]

Sometimes, indian media's imagination is really beyond your wild guess.

"China, for instance, can move around 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the borders within 30 days to outnumber Indian forces by at least 3:1 after undertaking massive infrastructure development all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, as earlier reported by TOI."

Maybe they forget that it is more possible for Chinese logistic system to collapse even before these "30 divisions" to fight.



"

we cant help it, it is our free media, we cant control it.

 

[Bhadra]

we cant help it, it is our free media, we cant control it.

NO, that 30 divisions over a seasons (not a month though a season hardly lasts more than two months over there) is fair and logical assessment..... whether you agree or not...

 

[Sumonmitra20]

India needs to build up tennels to;

Link up raods

solve problems of gradients and torturous routes over passes.

Build all weather roads

Build diversions

build missile silos

build safe area for strategic assets

Disaster management

Safe Command and control centres....

much more and much more.....

I agree with u. We should hope for the best but also be repaired for the worst. :thumb:

 

[Bhadra]

i agree with u. We should hope for the best but also be repaired for the worst. :thumb:

deep tunnels are meant for the worst

 

[natarajan]

I hope they dont make tunnel near bangladesh to assam and other states so that they can import crores of votes and say all are indians at the time they make violence like assam

 

[no smoking]

Better for China that India build more tunnels than roads.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Sometimes, indian media's imagination is really beyond your wild guess.

"China, for instance, can move around 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the borders within 30 days to outnumber Indian forces by at least 3:1 after undertaking massive infrastructure development all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, as earlier reported by TOI."

Maybe they forget that it is more possible for Chinese logistic system to collapse even before these "30 divisions" to fight.



"

Did you factor in how many troops and armored divisions can be moved with the C-17's?
And faster than 30 days.

 

[thakur_ritesh]

In diplomacy, some statements are given to warn, some to deceive, some to deter, some to frighten, some to demonstrate. Every thing is for effect
Now, it is your understanding....

Agree.

Things like these are more deliberate leaks than someone in over enthusiasm jumping the gun.

 

[cinoti]

we cant help it, it is our free media, we cant control it.

I cannot agree more, plus we can ban the bulk SMSs and MMSs for 15 days across the country as well....