Defence Minister dedicates 44 BRO-made bridges to the nation
Heralding in a new era in the connectivity of roads and bridges in sensitive areas close to Western, Northern and North Eastern Borders, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh today dedicated 44 major permanent bridges to the Nation. He also laid the Foundation Stone for Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. These bridges are of strategic importance and provide connectivity to remote areas. The 44 bridges are spread over seven states/union territories.
The dedication ceremony was conducted through a Video Conference in the presence of Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff, Gen MM Naravane and Defence Secretary, Sh Ajay Kumar at New Delhi. Union Minister, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim & Uttarakhand, Lt Governor of J&K, with Hon’ble Members of Parliament, civil/military dignitaries along with members of the public at various sites in respective States/ Union Territories attended through a video link.
In his address, Raksha Mantri congratulated DG and all ranks of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for their achievements and said that the dedication of 44 bridges in one go in itself was a record. Shri Rajnath Singh said in the challenging times of COVID-19 and despite the border tensions and disputes caused by Pakistan and China, the country was not only resolutely facing them but also bringing about historical changes in all sectors of development under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Lauding the BRO for its role in improving the border infrastructure, Shri Rajnath Singh these bridges improved connectivity in the far-flung areas of Western, Northern and North East sectors and fulfilled the aspirations of local people. They would also meet the transport and logistics requirements of the armed forces throughout the year, he added.
Raksha mantra also announced that the government has sanctioned high altitude clothing to BRO engineers and workers.
Rajnath Singh also laid the Foundation Stone of the strategically important Nechiphu Tunnel on the road to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. This 450 meters long, bi-lane tunnel would ensure all weather connectivity across Nechiphu Pass besides providing safe and secure passage through accident-prone areas.