Roads to be built in UP to connect SSB outposts

Bahraich (UP): Roads will be constructed in forests along the Indo-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh to connect all Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) outposts parallel to 'No Man's Land' as per a Union home ministry order, a senior forest official said on Wednesday.

To keep traffic away from forests, 10-meters high flyovers will be built and roads constructed by acquiring 'gram samaj' land adjoining the forests, said Akash Deep Badhawan, divisional forest officer, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. The Union home ministry has given instructions to build roads in forest areas parallel to the Indo-Nepal border in 'No Man's Land'. These roads, which are to be built keeping in mind the security of the nation, will pass through all the border posts of SSB bordering Nepal, Badhawan said.

Along India's 551-km border with Nepal in Uttar Pradesh, there are 16 border outposts of the SSB in the Katarniaghat forest, he said.

He added that 45 hectares of the forest area of Katarniaghat division of Bahraich and 138 hectares of Sohelwa forest of Balrampur besides hundreds of hectares of the forest and the surrounding land would be used for constructing roads. Badhawan said roads will also be built in 'Khata Corridor' that connects the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and Nepal's Royal Bardia National Park.