BRO targets Rs 17,900-cr spend in 2025–26; Northeast remains key focus
Eight of the Border Road Organization's 18 field projects are located across Northeast & eastern India, highlighting strategic regional focus
File photo of the Byorun Suspension Bridge in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district, repaired by BRO. (Photo:@BROindia/X)
New Delhi, Jan 19: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has recorded its highest-ever annual expenditure on strategic infrastructure, a development that holds significant relevance for Assam and the wider Northeast, where multiple BRO projects are strengthening connectivity in difficult terrain.
According to an official statement issued on Monday, the BRO achieved an outlay of Rs 16,690 crore in 2024–25 on the construction and maintenance of strategic roads, bridges, tunnels and airfields across the country.
The organisation has set a higher target of Rs 17,900 crore for 2025–26, signalling a continued push to expand infrastructure in border and remote regions.
The BRO, which caters to both military and civilian infrastructure needs in inaccessible areas, currently operates 18 field projects.
Of these, eight are located in the Northeast and Eastern India, covering Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya. Nine projects are in North-western India, while one is operational in Bhutan.
In the Northeast, BRO projects are playing a crucial role in improving access, mobility and security.
The Setuk project, which operates in Assam and Meghalaya, is among those strengthening road connectivity in strategically important and hilly regions.
In Arunachal Pradesh, BRO projects including Vartak, Arunank, Udayak and Brahmank are addressing some of the country’s most challenging terrain.
These initiatives are linking remote villages close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) through critical infrastructure such as the Sisseri Bridge, Siyom Bridge, Sela Tunnel and Nechiphu Tunnel.
Other projects such as Swastik in Sikkim, Pushpak in Mizoram, and Sewak in Nagaland and Manipur are also aimed at improving regional access and integration.
These projects form part of a broader effort to execute large-scale roads, bridges, tunnels and airfields across 11 States and three Union Territories.
The infrastructure push is aligned with national initiatives such as the Act East policy and the Vibrant Villages Programme, with the objective of reinforcing national security while promoting socio-economic development in border areas.
Elsewhere, in Ladakh, projects like Himank, Beacon and Vijayak are maintaining key lifelines such as the Srinagar–Leh highway, the Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie road and the Atal Tunnel, ensuring year-round connectivity in extreme conditions.
On the western front, projects in Jammu and Rajasthan are enhancing strategic mobility, while work in Uttarakhand supports access to the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.
The BRO’s overseas project, Dantak, continues to contribute to road and bridge construction in Bhutan, reinforcing bilateral ties.
Together, the projects underscore the BRO’s expanding footprint in Assam and the Northeast, where improved infrastructure is increasingly seen as vital for security, development and integration with the rest of the country.
IANS