Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has officially inaugurated 90 infrastructure projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Tuesday, September 12. According to the official release by the Ministry of Defence, these projects cumulatively exceeded Rs 2,900 crore.
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The projects span 11 states and union territories, with 36 in Arunachal Pradesh, 26 in Ladakh, 11 in Jammu & Kashmir, five in Mizoram, three in Himachal Pradesh, and two each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. There’s also one each in Nagaland, Rajasthan, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
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Some of the notable projects include the Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, two airfields in West Bengal, two helipads, 22 roads, and 63 bridges.
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Minister Singh also virtually laid the foundation stone of Nyoma Airfield in Eastern Ladakh, a project worth approximately Rs 200 crore. The defence minister Dalso spoke about ongoing and future BRo projects, namely the construction of the Shinkun La Tunnel, the world’s highest tunnel at an altitude of 15,855 feet. This tunnel will connect Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh to the Zaskar Valley in Ladakh, providing year-round connectivity and enhancing national security.
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The minister also spoke on the need for coordinated efforts between civilians and the military to ensure national security.
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Moreover, while congratulating the BRO on its success, he also encouraged the organisation to engage with local communities and gather input for border area projects.
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“Your job is not only to connect one place with another. It is also to connect the hearts of the people with your actions. The constructions should represent the spirit of ‘for the people, of the people and by the people’,” he said.
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With this inauguration of 90 projects valued at over Rs 2,900 crore, the BRO has completed 295 infrastructure projects, valued at Rs 8,000 crore since 2021.
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In 2022, 103 projects worth approximately Rs 2,900 crore and in 2021, 102 projects with a cost exceeding Rs 2,200 crore were inaugurated.
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