To improve policing for restricting the movement of terrorists and subversive elements between India and Nepal, the Bihar government today sanctioned Rs 393 crore for construction of approach road on 58 bridges and culverts along the Indo-Nepal border, officials said today.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Principal Secretary (Cabinet Coordination and Secretariat) Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters.
The money will be spent on construction of approach road on bridges and culverts in East Champaran, Sitarmarhi, Madhubani and Kishanganj districts, besides the approach road on bridges and culverts in West Champaran, Araria and Supaul districts, he said.
Bihar Police with assistance from central agencies had arrested Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his associate Asdullah Akhtar alias Haddi from Raxaul police station area in Bihar's East Champaran district on August 29.
Long stretch of porous border on the Indo-Nepal border was cited as the main security hazard in order to prevent free movement of terrorist and subversive elements between India and Nepal.
The porous 750-km long Indo-Nepal border in Bihar has also been a hub of smuggling of fake currency notes from Nepal to India.
When asked for spate in terrorist activities from the Indo-Nepal border as highlighted by the arrest of the IM co-founder and his associate, Kumar had yesterday said that keeping in view such security problems the state government has prepared a road project on the Indo-Nepal border.
The foundation stone of the 552.3 km long road project in Supaul district was laid on June 25.
The road project will be constructed at a cost of Rs 3,547.98 crore with loan from the NABARD under RIDF-XIX scheme and it will cover the Indo-Nepal border from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar up to West Bengal.
