Guwahati, March 18: A parliamentary panel has expressed concern over the tardy progress in fencing and road construction on the India-Bangladesh border.

This was stated in the report of the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs tabled in Parliament recently.

The reports says that of the plan allocation of Rs 1,418.97 crore for border fencing and roads construction along the India-Bangladesh border during the 12th Five Year Plan, only Rs 887.79 crore (62.56 per cent) had been spent.

The panel was dismayed to observe the extremely tardy progress of border infrastructure projects with only around 15km of fencing, 26km of roads, 46km of floodlights and just 11 border outposts completed in 2016 .

The report says of the plan allocation of Rs 895.58 crore for floodlighting the border areas, Rs 738.68 crore (82.48 per cent) was spent on this scheme during the 12th Five Year Plan (up to December 31 last year).

The cabinet committee on security had approved the proposal to install floodlights in a 2,840km area along the India-Bangladesh border at a cost of Rs 1,327.77 crore in November 2007. This was revised to 2,617.6km in October 2016.

Of the revised length, work in 2,089km has been completed and is in progress in 207.01km.

The committee, in its report, says it is aware of the issues that affect construction projects along the border but the inability of the home ministry to resolve these issues for so long seems to be unjustifiable. "Even the Supreme Court has expressed strong displeasure at the manner in which fencing projects languish along the border and remain incomplete because of lack of the ministry's specific plans," the report said.

In reply, representatives of the home ministry said the delay in fencing had been caused by issues of land acquisition and public protests.

The apex court had recently asked the Centre to release funds for fencing the border to check cross-border influx into Assam. It had said that the task should be completed soon.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has been saying that sealing the border stretch in the state is the top priority of the state government as the country's security would be compromised if it is allowed to remain porous.

The committee recommended that the home ministry should chalk out a strict and specific plan while adhering to the timeline stipulated by the Supreme Court for completion of all the infrastructure projects along the border.

The panel has also advised the ministry to devote its sincere efforts to plug all the gaps on the border that are still being exploited for cross-border influx and smuggling.