Leh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dedicated to the nation 63 bridges, built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO), in six States and two Union Territories (UTs), at an event held at Kyungam, 88 kms from Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh today. The bridges were inaugurated by Singh in the presence of Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen YK Joshi, Director-General Border Roads Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhry and other senior civil and military officials from Ministry of Defence, Indian Army, BRO and civil administration.
From Kyungam, the Defence Minister inaugurated a 50-metre-long bridge constructed on the Leh-Loma Road in Ladakh. This single span steel super structure bridge, which replaces an existing bailey bridge, will ensure unhindered movement of heavy weapon systems, including guns, tanks and other specialised equipment. The Leh-Loma Road, which connects Leh with places such as Chumathang, Hanley and Tso Morori Lake, is vital for access to forward areas in Eastern Ladakh.
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In addition, Singh virtually inaugurated 62 more bridges – 11 in Ladakh, four in Jammu & Kashmir, three in Himachal Pradesh, six in Uttarakhand, eight in Sikkim, one each in Nagaland and Manipur and 29 in Arunachal Pradesh. The combined cost of the projects is Rs 240 crores and they will provide a tremendous boost to connectivity in the border areas.
Speaking on the occasion, he lauded BRO’s commitment towards establishing connectivity to far-flung areas, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that some of these bridges will become a lifeline for many villages located in remote inaccessible areas. Underlining the importance of connectivity, especially in border areas for the development of a nation, he reaffirmed the Government’s resolve to ensure infrastructure development in far-flung border areas and added that today’s inauguration of 63 bridges is an important step in that direction. He expressed confidence that the bridges will play a crucial role in strengthening security as well as promoting the economic development of the respective states through improved connectivity.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang; Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region & Minister of State, PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh; MP from Jammu & Kashmir, Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP from Uttarakhand Shri Ajay Tamta and MP from Mizoram Shri C Lalrosanga were among those who attended the event virtually.
– global bihari bureau
