The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was established on 7th May 1960 to strengthen India’s borders and develop infrastructure in the remote areas of the northern and northeastern states. Initially under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the BRO was transferred to the Ministry of Defence in 2015 to enhance connectivity and streamline operations.
As a statutory body, the BRO was created in May 1960 with just two projects and has since expanded to 18 projects: nine in Northwest India, eight in Northeast India, and one in Bhutan. The headquarters are located in New Delhi, operating under the motto “Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam,” meaning “everything is achievable through hard work.” To improve planning and coordination, the Government of India established the Border Roads Development Board, with the Prime Minister as chairman and the Defence Minister as deputy chairman. The Director General of Border Roads, a lieutenant general-ranked officer, currently Lt. Gen. Raghu Srinivasan, heads the BRO. The organization’s core cadre comprises the Border Roads Engineering Service and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force.
The BRO’s infrastructure footprint spans 19 states and union territories, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as friendly neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Afghanistan. Beyond ensuring operational road safety, the BRO significantly contributes to the socio-economic development of the regions it serves. During wartime, the BRO maintains the integrity of roads along the Line of Control, facilitating the swift mobilization of troops and the movement of security forces to frontier areas, among other government-assigned tasks. Over the past six decades, the BRO has built over 61,000 km of roads, 915 bridges, four tunnels, and 19 airfields in geopolitically sensitive and challenging terrains. In the last five years alone, the BRO has constructed 3,595 km of roads, including a record 914.64 km in 2020-21, with another 195 km currently under construction. The organization also employs casual labor to overcome obstacles posed by landslides, avalanches, and snow blockages.
The BRO has demonstrated its expertise during conflicts with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. The organization has handled 18 projects, including Beacon, Himank, Sampark, Vijayak, and Nimmu-Padam-Darcha in Jammu and Kashmir; Vartak, Udayak, Arunanak, Sewak, Pushpak, Setuk, and Swastik in Sikkim and the Northeast; and Hirak, Shivalik, Deepak, Brahmank, Chetak, and Yojak in other states. In Bhutan, the Dantak project stands out. Beacon and Vartak, the oldest projects initiated in 1960, have seen significant developments, such as roads like NH1A, NH1B, NH1D, and the Zoji La Pass. The Vartak rock project, in particular, was instrumental in constructing infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh. Through these projects, the BRO has achieved what many would consider impossible, overcoming challenges posed by Naxalites, insurgencies in the Northeast, completing fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, developing road infrastructure to international borders, opening routes to the Char Dhams and Gurudwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib, constructing and maintaining naval airfields and tunnels like the Atal Tunnel. The BRO built these tunnels to reduce travel and operational costs while mitigating risks from avalanches and landslides. Tunnels have also been constructed at Zoji La, Lungalacha La, Bara-lacha La, Tanglang La, Shingo La, Rohtang Pass, Theng Pass, Nechipu Pass, and Sela Pass.
In 2021, the BRO achieved a Guinness World Record for constructing the highest altitude road at Uming La. During the financial year 2023-24, the BRO completed around 125 infrastructure projects worth Rs 3,611 crore, including the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh on the Balipara-Chardwar-Tawang Road, which was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via a virtual ceremony from Itanagar. The BRO is also expected to begin constructing the 4.10-km-long Shinkun La Tunnel, set to be the world’s highest tunnel at 15,800 feet, surpassing China’s Mila Tunnel at 15,590 feet. The organization has also undertaken major airfield projects at Bagdogra and Barrackpore, further solidifying its reputation for excellence. Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the Mudh Airfield project, with the BRO proposing to complete this vital project within two working seasons.
The BRO has played a crucial role in rebuilding efforts following the 2004 tsunami in Tamil Nadu, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and the 2010 Ladakh flash floods. It has also taken the lead in the Vibrant Villages Programme, which envisions comprehensive development for select border villages. The early opening of the Rohtang Pass, three weeks ahead of schedule, provided significant relief to citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic by facilitating supplies from Ladakh to Spiti.
The BRO’s foreign infrastructure projects include the Delaram-Zaranj Highway, handed over to the Afghan government in 2008, and restoration work at the Farkhor and Ayni airbases in Tajikistan. The BRO is also constructing the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, which is 160 km long and passes through three countries, spanning from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand across Myanmar. In 2020, the BRO was entrusted with the responsibility of connecting eastern Bhutan with western Tawang via the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary. In essence, the BRO, through its tireless efforts, builds lifelines across the security matrix of India’s borders to ensure the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In light of sustained security challenges from Pakistan and China’s increasing border infrastructure developments, the BRO remains critical to enhancing India’s border infrastructure. The Government of India informed the Lok Sabha in 2017 that it had approved the completion of 73 strategic roads along the Sino-India border in 2005. While the majority of these roads have been completed, others are still under construction, with delays attributed to land acquisition issues, environmental approvals, inclement weather, insurgency, security challenges, and inaccessible terrain.
Given the ongoing standoff with China at the borders, the BRO’s role is crucial in ensuring that India remains vigilant against Chinese advancements, as demonstrated during the Doklam standoff. With the potential for a two-front war looming, the BRO’s responsibilities have increased, emphasizing the need for timely monitoring, surveillance, and coordination with security forces. The proposed strategic road upgrades to 61 along the Indo-Pak and Indo-China borders are a step in the right direction. Recently, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi visited the BRO headquarters in New Delhi, where he was briefed on infrastructure development along the borders and reviewed military exercises. Over the last four years, the Indian Army has positioned more than 50,000 troops and 500 tanks along the disputed border to confront an increasingly assertive China.
However, there are still some pressing issues that the government needs to address. It must ensure the early completion of strategically important projects without compromising national security by delaying them and increasing costs, as seen with the 255 km long all-weather Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road, which took nearly two decades to complete. Given the BRO’s significant contributions to boosting the country’s defense preparedness and military readiness, such funding deficiencies cannot be allowed to persist. The organization should prioritize strategic works and set achievable targets. The modernization of equipment and addressing deficiencies is long overdue. Adopting modern construction methods, such as prefabrication or mechanized tunneling, can expedite project completion at lower costs. Additionally, the BRO must address issues related to troop interoperability and manpower shortages, explore public-private partnership models for building robust infrastructure, and leverage digital technologies like GPS tracking and remote monitoring of construction equipment. Recently, the BRO decided to use plastic waste in road construction along the Indo-China border, potentially opening new avenues for environmentally friendly practices. The budgetary grant to the BRO has been increased from Rs 5,000 crores this year to Rs 6,500 crores in 2024.
The BRO has also been a trailblazer in promoting women empowerment and gender equality by assigning women pivotal roles and opportunities. This includes overseeing road construction along the India-China border. Vaishali S. Hiwase became the first female officer in the BRO to do so. Figures like Col. Ponung Doming handle important projects in Eastern Ladakh, while Assistant Executive Engineer (Civil) Smt. Nikita Chaudhary led the timely completion of the Sela Tunnel Project. For the BRO, the tagline “In the Silence of Our Great Mountains—Work Speaks” would be fitting for 2024, reflecting the organization’s ideal pursuit.
While the BRO has made significant strides in improving connectivity and military readiness in the region, there are still pressing issues that demand immediate reforms. On the positive side, looking towards the future, the BRO’s ongoing efforts reflect its indelible contribution to the security and prosperity of the nation.