Syllabus: Security challenges and their management in border areas
Context
- Defence Minister inaugurated 125 new BRO projects from Ladakh, marking the largest single-day dedication in BRO’s history.
- Projects reflect the government’s focus on border development under Viksit Bharat.
Scale and Nature of Projects
- Projects worth ₹5,000 crore across Ladakh, J&K and seven States: Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram.
- Comprise 28 roads, 93 bridges, and four strategic assets, indicating expanded operational reach.
Key Highlight: Shyok Tunnel
- 920-metre Shyok Tunnel engineered for all-weather access in extremely difficult terrain.
- Enhances mobility, operational security, and winter deployment in avalanche-prone zones.
Strategic and Operational Significance
- Improved connectivity strengthens national security, logistics efficiency, troop mobility, and rapid-response capacity.
- Infrastructure also boosts tourism, employment, and community confidence in frontier development.
- Minister referenced Operation Sindoor, stressing that strong road access ensured precise coordinated action.
Commemorative and Community Initiatives
- Virtual inauguration of the Galwan War Memorial, honouring soldiers’ sacrifice.
- Acknowledgment of BRO’s humanitarian role during natural disasters in Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and J&K.
Technological and Institutional Progress
- Recognition of indigenous Class-70 modular bridges under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
- BRO recorded ₹16,690 crore expenditure in FY 2024–25, with enhanced allocation for FY 2025–26.
- 356 BRO projects inaugurated in the past two years, reflecting organisational expansion across varied terrains.