NEW DELHI: In a major push to strengthen India’s border infrastructure, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate and dedicate 125 strategically important projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Sunday from the Shyok Tunnel in Ladakh.
Sources said these vital projects that the minister will unveil cover 28 roads, 93 bridges, and four miscellaneous strategic facilities across seven states and two Union Territories, including Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Mizoram.
Showcasing India’s engineering and technological advancements, the event will highlight the 920-metre Cut and Cover Shyok Tunnel, which ensures uninterrupted movement of troops and civilians through landslide- and avalanche-prone terrain. The 3D-printed Himank Air Dispatch (HAD) Unit Complex in Chandigarh also highlights the country’s innovation in modern defence infrastructure.
“These projects mark a major milestone in enhancing operational preparedness, troop mobility, and socio-economic development in some of the most remote and challenging regions of the country,” officials said.
BRO’s achievements demonstrate its capability to operate across high-altitude, snowbound, desert, flood-prone, and dense forest terrains, while improving last-mile connectivity to remote villages, forward military posts, and strategic locations.
Notable road projects include the Sela-Chabrela-BJG and Shungester-Sulula Roads in Arunachal Pradesh, the Kalep–Gaigong Road in Sikkim, and connectivity works in Mizoram along the Lawngtlai–Diltlang–Parva axis.
Bridges such as Lumla I & II, Shungetsar I & II, Rabam Chu, and Tuichanglui enhance logistics and access across critical border stretches. Officials pointed out these projects are some of the toughest terrains and it is uphill task.
Raised in 1960, BRO has an authorized strength of 41,600 personnel, including 2,426 officers and 39,174 subordinates, and continues to be the preferred agency for MHA, MEA, and MoRTH for projects in challenging terrains. Over the past two years, BRO has dedicated 356 infrastructure projects, with its budget increased from Rs 6,500 crore to Rs 7,146 crore in recognition of its strategic contribution.
Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan, Director General of BRO, lauded the dedication and professionalism of officers, supervisors, and labourers. Upholding its motto, ‘Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam’ – Everything is achievable through hard work, BRO continues to play a pivotal role in national security, strategic connectivity, and socio-economic development, linking India’s remotest and most strategically vital regions to mainstream.