A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ladakh region led by MP Ladakh, Thupstan Chhewang called upon Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Raksha Bhawan New Delhi.Shri Thupstan Chhewang MP Ladakh discussed several important issues related to Defence and apprised the minister about the problems faced by the people of Ladakh region as the road to the area remains closed for more than six months owing to heavy snow. He informed the Defence Minister that several pending project roads under Border Roads Organisation (BRO),
Center Road Funds (CRF), Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and about the slow pace of work on road projects along the Indo-China border. In Ladakh alone, of the 14 roads that were sanctioned to be built along the China border, only two have been completed. He urged the minister to speedup the process so as to make the road an all-weather link and help save the lives of the people besides being important from defence point of view.
Some of the main issues taken up were the following:
1: ?Inclusion of Leh, Kargil areas in border plan under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) for their development.?
2: ?Shifting of administrative control for snow clearance and maintenance work of Zojila Pass up to Sonamarg from Project Beacon to Project VIJAYAK.?
3: ?Vacating Kurbathang Plateau for shifting Kargil town which is under army control.?
4: ?Intervention in the NPD Project.? The delegation requested the Defence Minister to release the amount of Rs 1700 crore which was announced for the already sanctioned tunnel at Shingula on Nimoo-Padum-Darcha (NPD) Road.
5: ?Recommended for special concessions to the transporters of Ladakh.? The problems faced by the transport cooperative societies in Ladakh and sought the intervention of the ministry for a permanent solution to the problems faced by the transporters in providing service to army in Ladakh region.
During the meeting, Shri Mohd Ali Majaz President BJP Unit Kargil asked the Defence Minster to include the leftover border areas of Leh and Kargil under the BADP for their development as the main aim of the BADP was to address the problems of the people living in inaccessible, remote and border areas of the Ladakh region.The Defence Minister a gave patient hearing to the delegation and said that the Chief Minister has already raised some of the issues with her and assured that their demands will be looked into. She also informed the delegation that shifting of Kurbathang plateau which is under army control is in the last stage and it will be vacated for civilian purposes. She further said that the delegation Centre had sanctioned Rs 716.85 crore under the BADP in the last five years. She said the scheme was being implemented in 44 blocks of 11 border districts.The delegation comprised of Shri Dorje Motup Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh and senior BJP leader, Executive Councillor's LAHDC Leh and Shri Mohd Hassan Pasha BJYM J&K State Sectrey.