On January 3, 2023, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defense (MoD), dedicated to the nation 28 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) worth Rs. 724 crores in seven bordering States/Union Territories (UTs), during an event held at the Siyom Bridge along the Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The Siyom Bridge, which is crucial from a strategic perspective, was physically inaugurated during the event, while the other projects were virtually dedicated to the nation.
The 28 Infrastructure Projects of BRO
i.The projects include 22 bridges, including the Siyom Bridge, three roads, and three other projects in seven bordering States/UTs in the Northern and North-Eastern region.
- These projects are distributed as follows: Eight in Ladakh, Five in Arunachal Pradesh, Four in Jammu and Kashmir, Three each in Sikkim, Punjab & Uttarakhand, and Two in Rajasthan.
- These projects will significantly improve India’s border infrastructure, especially along the Chinese border, stretching from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.
ii.Three telemedicine nodes—two in Ladakh and one in Mizoram—were also virtually inaugurated by the Defence Minister.
iii.With the inauguration of these 28 projects, which were completed in 2022, a total of 103 BRO infrastructure projects worth Rs. 2,897 crore were dedicated to the nation in 2022.
- The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also inaugurated 75 projects worth Rs. 2,173 crore from Shyok village in Ladakh in October 2022.
- The BRO dedicated 102 such projects to the nation in 2021 at a cost of Rs 2,229 crore.
iv.During the event, Rajnath Singh also unveiled a ‘Compendium On New Technologies’ that includes the latest advancements used by the BRO in building roads, bridges, airfields, and tunnel infrastructure to fight the impacts of hostile, remote terrain and unfavourable weather.
Siyom Bridge, Arunachal Pradesh
The Siyom Bridge on the Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal Pradesh is a modern, 100-meter-long Class 70 steel arch superstructured Bridge that spans the Siyom River.
- The Siyom bridge will allow for faster induction of troops, heavy equipment such as howitzers, and mechanised vehicles to forward regions of the Upper Siang district, Tuting, and Yinkiong regions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The Three Telemedicine Nodes: Two in Ladakh & One in Mizoram
The three telemedicine nodes will be linked to service hospitals using a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite communications (SatCom) system.
- It would offer fast medical care for medical and surgical crises, through telemedicine consultation with experts in service hospitals using SATCOM VSAT communication.
- This is one of BRO’s remarkable efforts in providing medical treatment to its personnel in remote border locations using space technology.
Recent Related News:
i.In November 2022, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated 1st Greenfield Airport of Arunachal Pradesh – Donyi Polo Airport in Itanagar with an aim to boost connectivity in the North-East region (NER).
ii.The airport is named “Donyi Polo” to reflect the traditions and rich cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh and its indigenous reverence for the Sun (‘Donyi’) and the Moon (‘Polo’).
About the Border Roads Organization (BRO):
Director General Border Roads (DGBR) – Lieutenant (Lt.) General Rajeev Chaudhary
Established – 1960
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
