Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will soon dedicate to the nation 74 projects of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) including airstrips, tunnels, and bridges along the northern and western borders, said BRO Director General Rajeev Chaudhary on Monday. Chaudhary made the announcement after an inspection of the nearly half-a-kilometre long fully constructed bridge on River Devak along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba.
"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, as per a PTI report.
He said that the construction of the Devak Bridge in the Samba district was completed within two years under Project Sampark.
This bridge, positioned on the Devika River, is of immense importance from both strategic and socio-economic perspectives. It enables rapid movement of forces along the border, benefiting the villages of Folpur and Gulpur situated along the IB, he said.
The officer also informed that previously, villagers faced challenges crossing the river, especially during periods of high water levels.
The bridge is situated approximately 3.5 km from the International Border and spans 422 metres.
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, as quoted by PTI.
He also highlighted 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 informed.
When asked about infrastructure development along the Sino-India border, the BRO Director General said that the organisation has successfully established substantial bridges, including modular designs, along the frontier with China over the past three years.
"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 informed 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 mentioned.
Speaking about BRO's efforts to connect remote areas through roads, Chaudhary stated how the achievement has been highlighted by the President of India during her address to the joint parliamentary session while the Prime Minister has also been emphasising BRO's vital role.
"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, as quoted by the report.
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