Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh Reviews Border Infrastructure

The state of connectivity to border areas was reviewed and the consistent need for boosting the ongoing projects and to expedite the construction of strategic roads, bridges and tunnels in the border areas was discussed. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has executed 30 per cent more works in FY2019-20 as compared to FY2018-19.

The BRO has worked incessantly even during the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 without affecting the progress of various projects. Despite unprecedented snowfall, breaking the 60-year old record, all strategic passes and roads were cleared this year for traffic about one month before their average yearly opening dates. BRO executed snow clearance works on 149 roads (of 3,965 km) in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. This ensured the rapid and early movement of troops and logistics to forward areas.

While complimenting the BRO for its achievements, Singh exhorted it to continue its work to achieve even greater laurels. Other than inducting the latest equipment and machines, BRO has also introduced modern construction methods after successful trials to expedite works on surfacing with cementations base, use of plastics, geotextiles, etc., and various techniques for slope stabilisation. Trials of indigenously produced modular bridges in collaboration with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) under the Make in India programme were also completed successfully. This is expected to revolutionise BRO?s bridge laying capabilities in areas close to the country's international borders.