• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dedicated 28 infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) worth Rs 724.3 crore to the nation during an event organised at Siyom Bridge on Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal Pradesh on January 3. 

• The projects comprise 22 bridges, including Siyom bridge, three roads and three other projects in seven border states/Union Territories of northern and northeast regions. 

• The Siyom bridge is a state-of-the-art 100-meter long, Class 70 steel arch superstructure over Siyom River in Arunachal Pradesh.

• The new bridge will not only facilitate easy movement for locals, but also help in faster induction of troops, heavy equipment and mechanised vehicles to forward areas.

• Singh also virtually inaugurated the 27 other projects of the BRO to bolster border infrastructure.

• Out of these, eight have been constructed in Ladakh, four in Jammu & Kashmir, five in Arunachal Pradesh, three each in Sikkim, Punjab and Uttarakhand and two in Rajasthan.

• In addition, three telemedicine nodes — two in Ladakh and one in Mizoram — were inaugurated.

• Singh said that in 2021, BRO completed 102 infrastructure projects. In 2022, along with these 28 projects, the organisation has dedicated a record 103 infrastructure projects to the nation.

Border Roads Organisation

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was conceptualised in March 1960, primarily to meet the defence infrastructure needs of the country, especially in the border states. 

• It is now a leading road construction agency under the ministry of defence with a primary role of providing road connectivity in border areas.

• Over the years, the organisation has diversified into the construction of steel bridges, airfields, townships, tunneling works and hydro-electric projects.

• BRO executes road construction and maintenance works along the Northern and Western frontiers primarily to meet the strategic requirements of the Army. 

• The BRO has also constructed roads in friendly foreign countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, etc thus contributing towards our strategic objectives in the region.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store