Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today dedicated 44 major permanent bridges to the Nation. He also laid the Foundation Stone for Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.
These bridges are of strategic importance and provide connectivity to remote areas. The 44 bridges are spread over seven states and Union Territories. The dedication ceremony was conducted through a Video Conference in the presence of Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Chief of Defence Staff at New Delhi.
Kiren Rijiju, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Members of Parliament attended through a video link.
In his address Rajnath Singh congratulated DG and all ranks of Border Roads Organization (BRO) for their achievements and said that dedication of 44 bridges in one go in itself was a record. He also said in the challenging times of COVID-19 and despite the border tensions and disputes caused by Pakistan and China, the country was not only resolutely facing them but also bringing about historical changes in all sectors of development under the able leadership of Narendra Modi.
The Defence Minister also said that roads and bridges are the lifeline of any nation and play a vital role in the socio-economic development of far flung regions. Reiterating the Central Government’s commitment to boost development activities in border areas, he said that progress of all projects is regularly being monitored and adequate funds are being provided for their timely execution.
Annual budget of BRO varied from Rs 3,300 Crores to Rs 4,600 Crores in years 2008-2016, saw a substantial rise and is pegged at over Rs 11,000 Crores in 2020-21.
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