Chhewang meets Gadkari, raises people’s issues in LS

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 10: A delegation led by Thupstan Chhewang, Member of Parliament today called on Nitin Gatkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, and Shipping, and submitted a memorandum regarding expeditious completion of Nyemo-Padum-Darcha road, which is being constructed by Border Roads Organization.
Leading the delegation to the Union Minister Member Parliament Thupstan Chhewang lamented that the Chadar Road Project is presently being funded under Prime Minister’s State Reconstruction Plan and the pace of work on the project is extremely slow and would take ages to complete. “Since the project is very important and would provide an alternative rout to link Ladakh with Himachal, which is required to be accorded due priority. This can only be done if this road is upgraded as National Highway, ha added”.
Taking serious note of the recommendations, the Vajpayee Government issued prompt ordered to conduct survey and surveillance to explore the possibilities of such road. As such reconnaissance and detailed survey along the different alignments of rugged Great Himalayan Mountain ranges were conducted.
He demanded release of fund for Suru-Padum National Highway.
Mr Thustan also raided the issues of people of Ladakh in Lok Sabha during its first day today. Raising the basic grievances of the people of Ladakh region regarding Tele-Communication said “Mobile equipment capacity in both Leh & Kargil district has become saturated. He said number of mobile connections are more than 1 lakh whereas capacity mobile equipment only 80,000 which has resulted in deterioration of mobile service in Ladakh region.
To overcome this problem more mobile equipment such as MSC, BSC, and BTS towers are required in the existing service area. Secondly, Leh-Srinagar telecom transmission line equipment capacity has also become saturated which has resulted in deterioration of mobile and broadband service.
Transition line equipment capacity is urgently required to be upgraded with higher capacity equipments such as DWDM. Thirdly, capacity of many mobile BTS tower has become saturated in Leh & Kargil town resulting in serious congestion problem.
He said more towers are required in Leh & Kargil town to remove mobile traffic congestion problem.
Fourthly, GPRS service in Ladakh region is very poor. GPRS service is required to be improved by enhancing GPRS capacity. Lastly, around 117 village hamlets are having no means of telecommunication at present.
Since these 117 hamlets are not feasible through other telecom technologies such as landline, mobile, WLL etc. DSPT under USO fund may be provided.