New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS) Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dedicated 125 strategic infrastructure projects built by the Border Roads Organisation to the nation, marking the largest single‑day inauguration in the organisation’s history, an official statement said.

The projects including 28 roads, 93 bridges and four miscellaneous projects were completed at a combined cost of about Rs 5,000 crore across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram.

The projects aim to improve last‑mile connectivity to remote villages and forward military locations, reduce travel time and make movement of troops, equipment and essential supplies smoother, the statement said.

Among the projects, Shyok Tunnel on the Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie road in Ladakh is a critical 920‑metre cut‑and‑cover tunnel, built in high‑altitude terrain, to provide reliable all‑weather access to a sensitive strategic corridor prone to heavy snowfall, avalanches and extreme temperatures.

The enhanced road and bridge network is also expected to support tourism, local employment and faster disaster response in border regions.

The Galwan War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh was also inaugurated virtually, commemorating the bravery and sacrifice of Indian soldiers.

BRO has begun deploying indigenously developed Class-70 modular bridges, designed and manufactured in India in partnership with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

These heavy-load bridges installed at forward locations will support rapid military movement.

Over the last two years alone, 356 BRO projects have been dedicated nationwide. Even as the Union Budget allocation to BRO rose from Rs 6,500 crore to Rs 7,146 crore, the organisation recorded its highest‑ever expenditure of Rs 16,690 crore in FY25 and has set a target of Rs 18,700 crore for FY26.

BRO has in recent years also played a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster response of the country.

During 2025, the organisation carried out rescue operations during the Mana avalanche in Uttarakhand, large-scale tourist evacuations in North Sikkim, and the cloudburst rescue operations in Jammu & Kashmir.

–IANS

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