NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, defence minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate and dedicate 90 critical infrastructure projects to the nation, all constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of Rs 2,941 crore along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. These projects encompass various regions and serve strategic purposes.
One notable project is the e-shilanyash of the fourth airbase of the Indian Air Force in Ladakh, known as the "Nyoma airfield." This airfield, situated in Eastern Ladakh, will be the world's highest fighter airfield. It involves expanding the existing Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) and has a cost of Rs 218 crore. It will enable the operation of fighter jets at an altitude of 13,700 feet, enhancing India's air capabilities in the region.
Additionally, the inauguration of the 500-metre-long Nechiphu tunnel on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road in Arunachal Pradesh will take place. This tunnel, along with the under-construction Sela Tunnel, will provide all-weather connectivity to the strategic Tawang Region.
The defence minister will preside over a ceremony organised by the Border Roads Organisation at Devak Bridge on the Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road in Jammu & Kashmir. During this event, he will inaugurate 22 roads, 63 bridges, the Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, two airfields in West Bengal, and two helipads. These projects were executed under challenging weather conditions and in inhospitable terrains.
Of these projects, 11 are in Jammu and Kashmir, 26 in Ladakh, 36 in Arunachal Pradesh, 5 in Mizoram, 3 in Himachal Pradesh, 2 each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, and 1 each in Nagaland, Rajasthan, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The highlight of the event will be the inauguration of the state-of-the-art "422.9-metre-long, Class 70 RCC Devak Bridge on Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road in Jammu & Kashmir." This strategically important bridge can support tanks and heavy artillery, facilitating the rapid deployment of troops, heavy equipment, and mechanised vehicles to forward areas.
Singh will also inaugurate the reconstructed and revamped Bagdogra and Barrackpore airfields in West Bengal. These airfields, rebuilt by BRO at a cost of Rs 529 crore, will enhance the defensive and offensive capabilities of the Indian Air Force along the northern borders with China and enable commercial flight operations in the region.
BRO's substantial efforts in road and bridge construction in recent years have resulted in the completion of numerous critical and strategic projects that strengthen India's defense preparedness. They have also connected some of the country's farthest and most remote villages, such as Huri Village in Arunachal Pradesh, to the mainland.
Over the past two years, BRO has dedicated a record 205 infrastructure projects to the nation, totaling Rs 5,100 crore in value. In the previous year, 103 BRO infrastructure projects were dedicated, amounting to Rs 2,897 crore, and in 2021, 102 projects were dedicated, costing '2,229 crore.
