Context:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 24 bridges and three roads, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in four States and two Union Territories.
Relevance:
Prelims, GS-III: Industry and Infrastructure
Dimensions of the Article:
- About the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
- About the unveiled Roads and Bridges
About the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
- The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
- Currently, the organisation maintains operations in twenty-one states, one UT (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
- Presently, BRO is also involved in the construction of a tunnel at the Rohtang pass which is estimated to be ready by 2019.
- The BRO operates in 18 Projects namely: Arunank, Beacon, Brahmank, Chetak, Deepak, Dantak, Himank, Hirak, Pushpak, Sampark, Setuk, Sewak, Shivalik, Swastik, Udayak, Vartak, Vijayak and sela tunnel.
- The organisation’s operations are spread across India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.
- The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India’s borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
- The BRO consists of Border Roads Wing under the Ministry of Defense and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF). Officers are selected through the Indian Engineering Services (IES) Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
About the unveiled Roads and Bridges
- Of the 24 bridges, nine are in Jammu and Kashmir, five each in Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, three in Uttarakhand and one each in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Of the three roads, two are in Ladakh and one is in West Bengal.
- The main highlight was the inauguration of India’s first indigenous Class 70 140-feet double-lane modular bridge, built at the height of 11,000 feet at Flag Hill Dokala, Sikkim.
- Another highlight was the Chisumle-Demchok road at Umling La Pass, which has been constructed at a height of over 19,000 feet in Ladakh that also held the Guinness World Record of world’s highest motorable road.
- To boost tourism and facilitate the military personnel in border areas, Mr. Singh announced the setting up of ‘BRO Cafes’ at 75 places, as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.
-Source: The Hindu
