Defence Minister to dedicate to nation 74 projects of BRO including air strips, tunnels: DG BRO

SAMBA: Defence minister Rajnath Singh will soon dedicate to the nation 74 projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) including airstrips, tunnels and bridges along the northern and western borders, BRO Director General Rajeev Chaudhry said on Monday.

Lieutenant General Chaudhry was speaking after an inspection of the nearly half-a-kilometre-long fully constructed bridge on River Devak that connects areas along the International Border (IB) with the mainland.

"Date (for the inauguration of Devak bridge) will be finalised soon. It will be inaugurated and dedicated to the nation. The defence minister will be visiting the Jammu region. He will also be inaugurating 74 more projects including two airstrips, tunnels, bridges and roads," the DG told reporters here.

He said that the construction of the Devak Bridge in Samba district has been accomplished within two years under Project Sampark.

"This bridge, positioned on the Devika River, holds immense importance from both strategic and socio-economic perspective.

"It enables rapid movement of forces along the border, benefiting the villages of Folpur and Gulpur situated along the IB", he said.

The officer said that previously, villagers faced challenges crossing the river, especially during periods of high water levels.

"The bridge, located approximately 3.5 km from the International Border, spans 422 metres," he added.

The DG said that a pivotal road under construction along the border is the Akhnoor-Poonch road.

"We have widened this road, which features four tunnels of Kandi, Sungal, Nowshera, and Bhimbergali. The project is progressing at a commendable pace and is anticipated to conclude within the next two years," he added.

He also spoke about the strategic hinterland road of Bani-Basholi-Baderwah.

"Out of the total 165 km, 125 km of the road has been surfaced. Work is ongoing on the remaining 40 km and is projected to be finished by March 2025. Notably, 89 km of road between Basholi and Bani, as well as 35 km from Baderwah to Chatergalla, has already been completed", he added.

Replying to another question about infrastructure development along the Sino-India border, he said that over the past three years, the BRO has successfully established substantial bridges, including modular designs, along the frontier with China.

"Unlike the earlier single and fragile bridges incapable of supporting heavy vehicles like tanks and multi-axle artillery, these newly constructed double-lane bridges ensure efficient movement of all vehicle types, even in challenging circumstances", he said.

He said that in the aftermath of the flash floods on July 19 that damaged the Tarnah Bridge on the highway, the entire traffic flow was redirected through BRO-managed roads in the area.

Given the high traffic volume on the highway, the BRO played a crucial role in swiftly addressing the situation, he said.

On the question of BRO's efforts to connect remote areas through roads, he said that this achievement has been highlighted by the President of India during her address to the joint parliamentary session.

The prime minister has also been emphasising BRO's vital role, he said. Villages have gained access to various developmental amenities, such as schools, health centres, police stations and administrative offices due to the infrastructure push, he said.