RakshaMantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called on the Border Roads Organization (BRO) to continue to develop its capabilities through state-of-the-art technology and strive to strengthen border infrastructure at a faster pace. He was addressing all levels of BRO at an event organized in New Delhi on May 07, 2022 to mark the 63rd anniversary of the growth of the Organization. RakshaRajyaMantri Shri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defense Forces General ManojPande, Secretary of Defense Dr Ajay Kumar, Director General of Border Roads (DGBR) Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry and other senior BRO officials were present at the event. A handful of BRO staff attended the event almost.
“The Chinese population has increased in the Northern sector in the past. Because of their ability to build in mountainous terrain, they can reach a wide range of locations very quickly. The BRO must continue to work in tandem and focus on increasing its capacity through the full use of technology, ”saidRakshaMantri.
Shri Rajnath Singh spoke about the recent announcement of a BRO budget increase of 40% to Rs 3,500 crore in the 2022-23 financial year, emphasizing the government’s commitment to national security and border development. He assured the BRO not just about the budget, but all the possible support for the effort.
RakshaMantri described the development of border areas as a major part of the Government’s overall defense strategy. He said public participation was also an important part of the defense strategy. “When people in border areas are empowered, they will be more aware and more concerned about the safety of those areas. Citizens are a great force for the Nation, he said.
Emphasizing the importance of roads, bridges and tunnels for national development, RakshaMantri said the projects completed by the BRO have improved the operational capacity of the Armed Forces and improved the socio-economic conditions of people living in remote areas. places. “The development of infrastructure in the border areas is an indication of the Government’s unwavering commitment to building a strong, secure and confident ‘New India’ as envisaged by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi,” said Shri Rajnath Singh.
Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized that border areas had emerged as new development centers and regions such as the Northeast were not only developing on their own, but also becoming a gateway to national development. He emphasized that the development of these areas was essential for the development of the Nation at the international level, as the North-East region connects India with South Asia and Southeast Asia. RakshaMantri said the idea of expanding connectivity in the country was reflected in the ‘PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan for Multi-Modal Connectivity’ aimed at Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He predicted that, in the future, it would be seen as the ultimate plan for national development.
At the event, RakshaMantri also laid the foundation stone for a married couple’s residence in Todapur for BRO staff sent to Delhi during their peaceful time. The complex will have 323 quarters, as well as integrated staffing infrastructure. Shri Rajnath Singh also introduced two software – the BRO Resource Management Program and the BRO Budget Management Program – developed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N). The software will automatically streamline the distribution and use of resources and BRO budgets.
In addition, RakshaMantri was flagged at the ‘BRO 63 Multi-Dimensional Expedition’ organized ahead of the 63-year Expansion Day. Sixty-three BRO staff members, including six women, took part in a 12-day trip that included four different activities, namely, a 15,000-foot-long Pangarchula hiking trail covering a distance of about 50 miles; Rafting on the waters of the Ganga River for 35 km; Cyclothon from Dehradun to Delhi covering a distance of 591 km and Fit BRO Endurance Run from Roorkee to Delhi covering a distance of 190 km. During the visit, the teams also conducted various social media programs and interacted with people, especially the youth, urging them to contribute to nation building. The trip was marked by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh of Dehradun, Uttarakhand on April 26, 2022.
It is worth mentioning that what was proposed by just two projects in 1960 – Project Tusker in the East and Project Beacon in the North – BRO today is a viable organization with 18 projects in various provinces. It has built more than 40,000 miles [60,000 km] of roads, more than 840 bridges, four tunnels and 19 airports under adverse weather conditions and the Indian border.
In 2021-22, a total of 102 infrastructure projects 87 bridges and 15 roads – were completed by the BRO – the largest in one year. This includes the construction of the longest tunnel in the world, with more than 10,000 meters of Atal Tunnel, Rohtang and the world’s best motorway over Umling La in East Ladakh. For the first time in the history of the BRO, women officers were given the Command of Units, with three current road construction companies (RCCs) under their control. It also formed the first All Women RCC in Joshimath, Uttarakhand.
