Strategic package spans 7 states and 2 UTs; new bridges in Arunachal’s Shi-Yomi and Siang valleys set to boost border connectivity, defence logistics and local economy
Guwahati/Ladakh, Dec 7 : Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on Sunday inaugurated and dedicated 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to the nation from the newly completed Shyok Tunnel in Ladakh, marking a major push to India’s border connectivity and defence preparedness.
The projects, spread across seven states and two Union Territories, include 28 roads, 93 bridges and four strategic infrastructure facilities in some of the country’s most remote and difficult terrains.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the package is aimed at ensuring faster mobilisation of troops and equipment as well as improving access for local communities in border regions.
The highlight of the ceremony was the inauguration of the 920-metre cut-and-cover Shyok Tunnel on a key strategic road in Ladakh.
The tunnel is expected to provide all-weather connectivity, enhance operational flexibility and cut travel time for military and civilian traffic along the sensitive frontier.
The Raksha Mantri also dedicated to the nation a 3D-printed Habitat and Administrative (HAD) Complex at Chandigarh, described as a pioneering step in BRO’s adoption of futuristic construction technologies for faster and more sustainable infrastructure creation.
In the Northeast, with a particular focus on Arunachal Pradesh, seven bridges were inaugurated across the Shi-Yomi and Siang valleys under Project Brahmank, significantly improving connectivity in remote border districts.
Among these, the Shene Bridge on the Tato–Mechuka road has been projected as a vital link between Tato and the scenic Mechuka valley.
Built in extremely challenging terrain, the bridge is expected to give a fillip to defence infrastructure while opening up new avenues for tourism in the region.
Along the Ditte–Dimme road, five more bridges — Ritbung, Rabung, Seyo, Raboung and Sirak — have been completed to strengthen defence logistics corridors and support socio-economic growth in interior areas of Arunachal Pradesh.
Together, they are aimed at easing movement of security forces as well as improving access for local residents.
A sixth structure in the Siang Valley, the Naglung Ri Bridge on the Tuting–Bona axis, underscores the Centre’s push to improve last-mile connectivity close to the frontier.
BRO officials said the set of bridges is expected to be transformative for road access and economic activity in the largely underdeveloped border belt.
While Rajnath Singh inaugurated the projects virtually from Ladakh, state-level events were held in Arunachal Pradesh at Along (44 BRTF) and Yingkiong (761 BRTF), where local dignitaries joined BRO personnel to mark the occasion.
Arunachal Pradesh minister Kento Jini, addressing one of the state-level functions, praised BRO’s “exemplary capacity and resolve” to deliver projects in treacherous terrain and said he had grown up witnessing its continuous contribution to connectivity in the state.
He credited much of Arunachal’s development to the organisation’s work and assured people that larger developmental initiatives were on the anvil for the frontier state.
The BRO has been at the forefront of India’s recent thrust on border infrastructure, particularly along the northern and eastern frontiers, with a series of roads, bridges and tunnels aimed at enabling quicker deployment of forces while also integrating remote habitations with the rest of the country.
