New Delhi: To contain any new terror threats emerging from the sea route, a report of a Parliamentary Committee suggested on Wednesday that 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.
The Committee in an earlier report recommended that a comprehensive study on the 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 the coastal region has been accorded lower priority as the Army has accorded higher priority for the development of infrastructure along northern borders,'' the Standing Committee on Defence's report stated.
The report tabled on Wednesday expressed its belief that keeping in view the prevailing geopolitical challenge, increment in maritime traffic and an earlier attack via sea route, the security of coastal areas is of paramount importance and firm actions should be taken to contain any new terror threats unfolding from the sea route.
Therefore, the committee in its recommendation said that since the BRO is actively engaging in the 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''.
