The Centre’s opinion was part of the 12th report of the Committee on Government Assurances that was tabled in the Parliament here today.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said, “Since it has been decided not to reopen the Stilwell Road, no action is pending from this Ministry.”
The Ministry’s plea to drop the assurance has since been accepted by the Parliamentary Committee, the Report said.
The assurance flowed from a reply given to Dr Arun Kumar Sarma by Minister of State for External Affairs, E Ahmed in the Lok Sabha.
The Minister had replied that Government of India had not taken up the issue of reopening of the Road for commercial use with China and Myanmar.
Ahmed had said that The Government of India is considering the commissioning of a pre-feasibility study on the matter of reopening of the Stilwell Road.
Earlier, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Madhavrao Scindia in 1999 had asked the External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh whether Government of Assam had proposed to re-open the Stilwell Road, lying unused since World War II.
The two MPs wanted to know about the regulations proposed to be introduced to check illegal trade and exodus of infiltrators through the route.
Jaswant Singh had replied by stating that information was being collected from Government of Assam.
The replies to the question was treated as an assurance and required to be implemented by the Ministry of External Affairs. The Committee on Assurance last August was requested to drop the assurance.
Reopening of the historic road, named after the American General Joseph Stilwell has been caught up in complications, as both the Indian security agencies and Government of Myanmar are reluctant.
Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) had already confirmed that the plan was cancelled following Myanmar’s objection to its reopening. Myanmar is apprehensive of the militants which hold sway over the Kachin Province.
Reopening of the 1,726 km Road was backed by business and trade bodies. The WW II connects Assam with Kunming in China’s Yunnan province.
The Stilwell Road on the Indian side is about 61 km long. The major stretch of 1,033 km lies within Myanmar, while the stretch in China is 632 km.
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