• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dedicated 35 infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) worth Rs 670 crore to the nation at an event in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath

• The 35 projects inaugurated on Friday include 29 bridges and six roads for Uttarakhand, Jammu &  Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

• Out of the 29 bridges, 10 are located in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, eight in Arunachal Pradesh, six in Ladakh, three in Uttarakhand, one in Himachal Pradesh and one in Mizoram.

• Out of the six roads three are in Ladakh, two in Sikkim and one is located in Jammu & Kashmir.

• The event was organised on the Dhak Bridge, a state-of-the-art 93-meter long Class 70R bridge over Dhak Nallah, which was inaugurated by the defence minister on the site. 

• The Dhak Bridge assumes strategic importance as it will provide increased connectivity to the borders and enhance operational preparedness of the Armed Forces. 

• It will also boost the socio-economic development of the region as it is the only road connecting villages from Joshimath to Niti Pass. This will not only promote tourism, but also generate more employment opportunities.

• The remaining 34 projects include Ragini-Ustad-Pharkian Gali Road in J&K. It is a 38.25-km long CL-9 road, which will provide all weather connectivity between Tangdhar and Keren sector, bolstering the operational readiness of the military.

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.

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