Rajanath Singh inaugurated 44 bridges in border areas

In a boost to border connectivity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday inaugurated 44 bridges built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and laid the foundation stone of tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

Most of these bridges enhance connectivity to areas leading up to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as a push to infrastructure amid the India-China standoff.

Eight of these bridges are in Ladakh where a military standoff between Indian and Chinese armies is continuing for more than five months.

Another 10 of these bridges are in Jammu and Kashmir and will improve road connectivity to the Line of Control with Pakistan.

Stressing on the importance of road infrastructure on both the borders Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the e-inauguration of these bridges touched upon the collusive threat from Pakistan and China to explain the need for enhancing road connectivity.

“You are well aware of the conditions created on our northern and eastern borders. First Pakistan, and now also by China, as if a border dispute is being created under a mission by the two countries. We have a border of about 7000 km with these countries,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

States like Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh that share a border with China have eight new bridges.

Four of these bridges are in Sikkim and two in Himachal Pradesh – two states also sharing a border with China. The remaining four bridges are open to the public now are in Punjab.