Homeland Security

Transportation Infrastructure in the North East
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Issue Vol. 31.2 Apr-Jun 2016 | Date : 04 Aug , 2016

Challenges to Development of Infrastructure

Broadly speaking, the infrastructure in the region has been limited to the age-old rail and road connectivity through the Siliguri corridor activated since 1947. The air connectivity is also limited, with most of the airports lacking night landing facilities and secure overnight parking services. Expenditure on the development of infrastructure cannot be a one-time affair; it is an ongoing process and one has to be patient for the process to bear fruit. There are many challenges to the development of infrastructure, some of which are listed.

The IAF is also in the process of making operational seven Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in Arunachal Pradesh, which have been in a state of disuse for various reasons…

As a beginning, the lack of basics is a hurdle to the start and progress. Today, even a basic requirement such as bitumen, is transported by surface transport, from Haldia in West Bengal, to the region; a requirement that was not there in WW II! Adequate construction machinery, engineers and skilled work force are also in short supply. Unpredictable connectivity hampers the smooth movement of both from the ‘mainland’ to the NE region. Sand and riverbed material, a natural resource available in abundance in the area, is, however, available at a premium. Local reasons such as delayed licenses, bureaucratic delays for environmental permits and local mafia dictating the rates, inhibit availability.

The mighty Brahmaputra cuts through the plains of the region, dividing it into two parts. This, along with the numerous tributaries, makes the terrain prone to frequent flooding, not just in the monsoons, but even in the event of unseasonal rains and poses a major engineering challenge for deep foundations and high embankments, with the soil for raising the embankments at times needed to be carried over long distances. In an operational scenario, this will lead to a logistics nightmare with increased time for the movement of men and material and non-availability of the appropriate transport facilities.

Closer to the international border on the Northern side, the terrain poses a different challenge altogether. A hindering cause for stagnation of surface transport networks is the heavy rainfall for more than six months of the year leading to gully erosion. Loose soil base derived from alluvium soil leads to massive landslides, creep in the hilly region and numerous turbulent rivers and hill streams which change their course frequently leading to huge expenditure in repairing bridges, culverts, retention walls and spurs. The hilly tracts of the Himalayas are young fold mountains and face the brunt of the monsoon on the Indian side causing the area to become landslide-prone and experiencing flash floods. This, combined with the high altitude and thick tropical forests, poses a formidable challenge for even the basic task of carving out a mountainside road. The delays caused by these challenges are often compared with the relative ease with which the Chinese have developed the infrastructure in the TAR, without really understanding the difference. The Plateau is sheltered from the monsoons, making the going much easier as against the Indian side, where a project takes more time, more protection and a much more courageous workforce.

There are seven operational port locations in the state for import and export to the Kolkata and Haldia ports…

Deployment of the men and material in the difficult terrain requires an adequate airlift capability with an equal capability on ground. The IAF has been using its workhorse, the AN 32, combined with the ‘giant’ Mi-26 helicopter, on an as required basis, for both civil and military tasks. The arrival of the Chinook helicopter, as and when it comes, will make a tremendous difference to the IAF’s airlift capability.

The challenges on the Eastern and Southern border of the region are strikingly different. Along the Eastern side, the ranges are relatively of a lesser altitude but thickly forested and heavily affected by rain and hence, prone to mudslides. Planning permanent roads and railway tracks is an engineering challenge, especially if the two have to run along the same side of the hill. Moving towards the South, towards Tripura and Mizoram, the challenge is scarcity of rock, as compared to the North, where it is in abundance. Rock has to be brought over long distances either from the interior of the region, or even from Bangladesh!

Engineering is only one of the challenges that the task forces face. The workforce of any project has to be secured and compensated against insurgents and health hazards. The insurgents not only threaten the locals against working in these projects, but also resort to extortion from the contractors, who then accordingly raise the total cost. In addition to these issues that are unique to the area, are also issues that are prevalent across the country, namely, acquisition of land, environmental clearances and delays due to improperly prepared Project Reports. All these lead to time and cost overruns.

The challenges to ensure modern facilities for enhanced connectivity in the NE region are enormous…

Coordinating the Build-Up

Recent reports in the media indicate that the IAF has revived its efforts to enhance its operational reach and capability in the region. The process initiated in 2009, with the induction of SU-30 MKI aircraft at Tezpur and later in Chabua in 2011, already well-established airfields, but upgraded to accommodate new aircraft, has been gaining momentum. In November 2015, as a part of an Exercise, two SU-30 aircraft landed at Imphal in Nagaland indicating that the combat aircraft were now covering not just the Northern frontier but the region bordering Myanmar too.

As part of the capability building programme, the IAF is also in the process of making operational seven Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in Arunachal Pradesh, which have been in a state of disuse for various reasons. Of the seven, the ALGs at Along and Ziro were inaugurated in March 2016 with three more at Mechuka, Pasighat and Tuting likely to be commissioned by mid-2016. All these airfields had part pavement and grass, reinforced by Perforated Steel Plates, and makeshift Control Towers, which have now been upgraded with paved runway surfaces and other facilities such as aprons for ground manoeuvering, an Air Traffic Control tower with associated infrastructure including night-landing facilities, a perimeter road and security wall. The new runway surface and other infrastructure, are being built to the exacting standards for any other modern airfield in the country, to accommodate fixed-wing operations by C-130 aircraft of the IAF and ATR-class of aircraft of the airlines.

Apart from the aviation related infrastructure that is in the process of being upgraded, the road and rail network are also being developed, though at a much slower pace. There needs to be synergy between the various agencies of the military and the civil for highways, railways and other infrastructure development projects such as power, irrigation and infrastructure for maximum effect and sharing of experience, for it is similar engineering skills, equipment, and material that is going to be used, making one dependent on the other. The Indian Railways (IR) and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) are now fully involved in the development process with master plans of a network of roads and rail lines, not only within the region but connecting neighbouring countries too.

The NE region has not been able to integrate and benefit from the various regional and sub-regional initiatives that neighbouring countries have created…

In order to get connectivity to the strategic and remote places of the region, roads should be an add-on to the railway network. At the origin and railheads, road connectivity is essential to provide feeder routes to the railway network in difficult terrain. The development of the road, rail and air network in the area, besides augmenting the operational capability, would also have economic benefits for the region.

One mode of transportation not much discussed is the use of waterways. NE India has many large and small rivers providing facilities for water transport, especially in the plains. From ancient times, until roads were constructed, Rivers Brahmaputra and Barak were the medium of transportation. However, with the partition of India in 1947, water transport received a serious blow as a foreign country was born between NE India and the port of Kolkata. It is estimated that the region has about 1,800 km of river routes that can be used by steamers and large country boats.

Inland water transport can be a viable, cost-effective alternative in the plains of the NE given the high cost of expanding other modes of transportation. It will also create employment opportunities, promote tourism, and open international routes for trade and commerce. However, this area too needs some dedicated attention towards improvement of facilities for night navigation and mechanical handling of cargo, increase in terminals and cargo vessels and the development of fairways and infrastructure. Unknown to many, an inland water transit and trade protocol exists between India and Bangladesh under which inland vessels of one country can transit through the specified routes of the other country. A 50:50 cargo-sharing by Indian and Bangladeshi vessels is permitted both for transit and inter country trade.

There are seven operational port locations in the state for import and export to the Kolkata and Haldia ports. An inland container depot near Guwahati already exists. Waterway connectivity between Mizoram and Myanmar and through Bangladesh, needs to be given a boost, as this could lead to enhanced trade opportunities and would reduce the pressure on the ‘Chicken’s Neck’.

The combined GDP of India, China and the ASEAN nations has the potential to create a trade stimulus environment…

Conclusion

The challenges to ensure modern facilities for enhanced connectivity in the NE region are enormous. The gap between the region and the rest of the country in terms of various developmental outcomes, productivity and capacity of people and institutions, is large and growing. The gap has to be bridged appropriately with various tailor-made sector policy interventions. Even within the region, there are vast differences. Hence, development strategies, with realistic timelines, need to be evolved depending upon prevailing resources, conditions and priorities. The successful transformation of investments into results on the ground in multi-modal transport sector requires a variety of strategic initiatives.

The North East is located at a crossroads between three major economies – East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. This geopolitical advantage has however, not really translated into the region’s economic development. Despite the high growth in India’s trade ties with Southeast Asia and China in the recent past, the region’s role has been marginal in terms of its contribution to trade and as a trade route. The NE region has not been able to integrate and benefit from the various regional and sub-regional initiatives that neighbouring countries have created.

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Though India has enunciated its ‘Look East’ policy, followed by the ‘Act East’ policy, with a view to cultivate economic and strategic relations with Southeast Asian nations, it has not been able to exploit successfully the benefits, due to an unconcerned attitude of the Central and State governments and hence, non-adherence to planned timelines. The combined GDP of India, China and the ASEAN nations has the potential to create a trade stimulus environment, which can contribute immensely to the economic development of NE India. It can only be exploited by creating and maintaining a sustainable infrastructure model.

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The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Indian Defence Review.

About the Author

Air Marshal Dhiraj Kukreja

former Air Officer Commanding in Chief of Training Command.

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