He inagurated the state-of-the-art 422.9 metre Devak bridge on the Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 90 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Tuesday in the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir. These projects, with a total cost of Rs 2,941 crore, mark a significant development for the region.

Singh, accompanied by Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office, Jitendra Singh, received a warm welcome at the Jammu airport from Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and senior Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) officers.

Among the inaugurated projects, the 422.9-metre Devak bridge on the Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road in Samba district holds strategic importance for the defence forces. It will facilitate the rapid deployment of troops, heavy equipment, and mechanised vehicles to forward areas, while also contributing to the socio-economic development of the region, according to a BRO spokesperson.

The extensive BRO initiatives encompass 22 roads, 63 bridges, one tunnel, two airstrips, and two helipads spread across 10 border states and Union Territories in the northern and north-eastern regions. These projects were executed under challenging weather conditions and in some of the most inhospitable terrains, all within record time and utilising cutting-edge technology.

Of the 89 projects inaugurated virtually, 36 are in Arunachal Pradesh, 25 in Ladakh, 11 in Jammu and Kashmir, five in Mizoram, three in Himachal Pradesh, two each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, and one each in Nagaland, Rajasthan, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Notably, the 500-meter Nechiphu Tunnel on Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road in Arunachal Pradesh, along with the under-construction Sela Tunnel, will provide all-weather connectivity to the strategic Tawang region, benefiting both the armed forces and tourists.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined the ceremony virtually. The reconstructed and revamped Bagdogra and Barrackpore Airfields in West Bengal will enhance the Indian Air Force's defensive and offensive capabilities along the borders and support commercial flight operations in the region.
Additionally, the defence minister laid the e-foundation of Nyoma airfield in eastern Ladakh, slated for development at a cost of Rs 218 crore. This project is set to substantially bolster air infrastructure in Ladakh and enhance the IAF's capabilities along the northern borders.

It is remarked as the world's highest fighter airfield. The BRO said that "Shilanyas" or the foundation of the project was done by Singh on Tuesday, September 12, from the Devak Bridge.

The BRO's remarkable surge in road and bridge construction over the last three years has resulted in the completion of numerous critical and strategic projects, significantly enhancing defence preparedness. Notably, the BRO has also connected some of the country's farthest and most remote villages, such as Huri in Arunachal Pradesh, to the mainland, triggering reverse migration in border villages.

In the past two years, the BRO has dedicated a total of 205 infrastructure projects to the nation, with a combined cost of Rs 5,100 crore. Last year alone, 103 infrastructure projects were completed at a cost of Rs 2,897 crore, while in 2021, 102 projects were dedicated to the nation at a cost of Rs 2,229 crore.

Speaking at the inauguration, the defence minister told the BRO, "Your real achievement is that you made the difficult look easy, with your effort. The citizens of the country have stopped taking border area development as an achievement but it has become normal for them. "

The defence minister will also participate in the ongoing North Tech Symposium at IIT Jammu's Jagti campus, inaugurated by Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar on Monday.