Playing Catch Up To China At LAC, BRO Completes 90 Border-Area Infra Projects

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate 90 infrastructure projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in frontier areas on 12 September, as per an announcement by the Defence Ministry.

Aimed at catching up with China's border infrastructure development, the projects include the 11 newly completed projects by BRO in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) at a cost of Rs 162 crore.

These projects also include the construction of 21 roads, 64 bridges, one tunnel, two airstrips, and two helipads along the northern and western borders.

During his visit, Rajnath Singh will also visit the Samba district in J&K to inaugurate the Devak bridge on the Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur road. This bridge is one of the 90 infrastructure projects undertaken by the BRO.

This development comes after a report by Hindustan Times stated that the BRO is on track to complete two tunnels in the border state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Of the two tunnels, the Sela tunnel is set to become the world's longest twin-lane tunnel situated above an altitude of 13,000 feet.

The second Nechiphu tunnel, situated on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road in West Kameng, will also be inaugurated next week.

Both these tunnels will facilitate quicker movement of army convoy during the winter, when snow blocks movement on high mountain passes.

Meanwhile, China is rapidly constructing infrastructure on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

According to reports, it has already completed the secondary bridge connecting the Pangong Tso's northern bank to the southern bank, in eastern Ladakh.

Additionally, a report by NDTV states that China is also constructing reinforced underground tunnels and shelters into the hillsides to protect against potential Indian air strikes and extended-range artillery attacks.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is also converting its existing advanced landing ground at Nyoma into a fully-fledged air base, capable of housing fighter aircraft, foundation stone of which will also be laid by the defence minister.

The Contracts for the expansion of the runway, however, have already been awarded, and the construction process is in full swing.

This development will bring IAF's fighter jets within a proximity of less than 50 km from the LAC with China, in eastern Ladakh.