New Delhi: The defence ministry should engage an organisation other than the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to develop critical infrastructure in India’s coastal areas keeping in mind a previous terror attack happened through the sea route, a report of a parliamentary committee suggested on Wednesday.
The committee had earlier recommended that a comprehensive study on requirement of the BRO in the coastal areas keeping in view current threat assessment and operational requirements of the forces may be undertaken by the Ministry of Defence in consultation with the armed forces and the BRO.
“In this regard, the ministry has submitted that employment of BRO for roads construction in coastal region has been accorded lower priority as the Army has accorded higher priority for development of infrastructure along northern borders,” the Standing Committee on Defence’s report stated.
The committee expressed its belief that keeping in view current geostrategic challenges, increase in maritime traffic and a previous terror attack through sea route, security in coastal areas is of paramount importance.
The report was tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Therefore, the committee recommended in its report that, since the BRO is currently engaged in development of strategic infrastructure along northern borders, “feasibility of engaging other competent organization/authority, as a short-term measure, for development of critical infrastructure in coastal areas may be explored by the Ministry of Defence for strengthening our maritime and coastal security”.
