DM inaugurates 75 projects including 38 in J&K, Ladakh
*Shyok will now be known as ‘River of Life not Death’
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 28: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said that lack of infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir for decades post Independence was one of the reasons behind the rise of terrorism in the Union Territory, as he e-inaugurated 75 new projects including bridges, roads and helipads in border areas from village Shyok in Leh district of Ladakh.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh joined inauguration of the projects through video conferencing from New Delhi. Eight projects were part of his Udhampur-Doda-Kathua Parliamentary constituency.
The 75 projects implemented by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) included 45 bridges, 27 roads, two helipads and one ‘Carbon Neutral Habitat’.
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Twenty of the projects are in Jammu and Kashmir, 18 each in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, five in Uttarakhand and 14 in other border states of Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan.
“Lack of infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir for decades post independence was one of the reasons behind the rise of terrorism in the Union Territory. These internal disturbances resulted in significant decline in tourist footfall that impacted Ladakh also, as well as the entire nation,” Rajnath Singh said at the event.
He noted that infrastructure development along with the valour of the armed forces was the main reason that helped India effectively deal with the recent situation in the northern sector, in an apparent reference to Indian military’s response to Chinese PLA’s aggressive behaviour in Eastern Ladakh where Sino-Indian troops are engaged in eyeball-to-eyeball position in some conflict zones though troops from both sides have withdrawn from other areas.
Singh dedicated the projects costing Rs 2180 crore spread across six States and two Union Territories, all sharing borders with Punjab and China, at a function held at Eastern Ladakh’s strategic Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DS-DBO) road that provides connectivity to the India’s northernmost outpost of Daulat Beg Oldi.
The Defence Minister unveiled 120-metre-long ‘class-70 Shyok Setu’ on the DS-DBO road at an altitude 14,000 feet and virtually inaugurated two helipads, one each in Hanle and Thakung, in Eastern Ladakh.
The bridge will be of strategic importance as it will facilitate logistics movement of the armed forces.
The helipads at Hanle and Thakung will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force in the region.
The Shyok river, a tributary of the Indus river that flows through Northern Ladakh and enters Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), is popularly known as the `River of Death’ because it is believed that the pace of the water flow is so fast that it becomes difficult to pass through it in the summer and the monsoon seasons.
While inaugurating Shyok Setu, the Defence Minister called it a `River of Life’.
“Shyok river would not be known as ‘River of Death’ but as ‘River of Life’ in future,” Rajnath said.
Locals turned emotional as the Defence Minister launched number of development projects saying they had to suffer a lot earlier for want of development which is now taking place.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensure the progress of far-flung areas to fulfil the security needs of the country.
He termed the new 75 projects as a testament to that “resolve” and said that these bridges, roads and helipads will facilitate military and civil transport in far-flung areas of the western, northern and north-eastern parts of the country, forming a part of the “development chain”.
“Now, due to the Government’s efforts, the region is witnessing a new dawn of peace and progress. Our aim is to continue with the development of all states/Union territories of the country,” Singh added.
He described connectivity with border areas as one of the focus areas of the Government for the holistic development of the nation.
Singh said all the remote areas will be connected with the rest of the country soon and “together we will take the nation to newer heights of progress. BRO has a crucial role in achieving this objective”.
The BRO’s first Carbon Neutral Habitat at a height of 19,000 feet for its personnel was also inaugurated at Hanle.
It is BRO’s effort towards contributing to Ladakh’s resolve of becoming the country’s first carbon neutral Union Territory, the Ministry said in a statement.
The key features of this complex include accommodation of 57 personnel and thermal comfort during extreme weather. It is expected to enable BRO to operate efficiently during large parts of winters.
Rajnath also laid the foundation stone of Himank Air Despatch Complex being constructed in Chandigarh and a BRO Museum at Leh.
With the onset of winter, once the passes close due to heavy snowfall, BRO extensively utilises air effort for movement of men, machinery and material to far-flung areas.
The existing air despatch sub-unit located at Chandigarh is being upgraded for providing comfort to transiting troops and to ensure efficient and uninterrupted delivery of essential stores and equipment for execution of works on ground, an official statement issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
It said the BRO will be undertaking the construction of the new complex at Chandigarh by incorporating the latest 3D printing technology and once completed, the building will boast of being the “world’s largest 3D Printed Complex”.
To honour the sacrifices of its personnel and put on record the achievements of BRO, a museum at Leh is being set up, which will be a “source of information and inspiration”, the Ministry said.
“This museum building will also be constructed using 3D Printing Technology and on completion, will become the world’s highest 3D Printed Building,” it said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said, highest number of projects including seven bridges and one road were inaugurated today in his Parliamentary constituency of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda.
Seven bridges e-inaugurated by the Defence Minister in Kathua district of Dr Jitendra Singh’s constituency include Jantriya, Konyali-I, Konyali-II, Chenab Badi, Pakka Kotha, Challa Nallah and Benadi.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed that Benadi bridge has been constructed in just 90 days by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which is a BRO record till date while Pakka Kotha bridge, which is 181 metres long multi span bridge, has been built in 102 days.
The BRO has started construction of Ramban bridge on accelerated pace and Brihon bridge has been sanctioned under DGBR’s emergent powers and soon work will start there, the Minister added.
Commenting on the inauguration of 10 percent of total projects in his Parliamentary segment, Dr Jitendra Singh remarked: “With inauguration of new roads in Kathua district, road connectivity up to Zero Line on the International Border has been achieved”.
Dr Jitendra Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for prompt approval of projects in his Parliamentary constituency of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda and said, with 200 bridges including small puliyas, a sort of record has been made in the last 8 years of Modi Government.
Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that in terms of PMGSY, for the last three years consecutively, Udhampur has stood first or second among all the districts in the country for constructing maximum numbers of all-weather rural roads. In May, this year, the Minister e-inaugurated nine newly completed PMGSY roads and four bridges in different parts of his constituency.
In December, 2021, out of nine bridges inaugurated in Jammu and Kashmir, four were in Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency that included Birham bridge-I, Birham bridge-II (both in Udhampur district), Gutassa bridge in Doda and Nagrah bridge (Kishtwar).
Dr Jitendra, while highlighting Government’s initiatives towards strengthening road connectivity in the UT, said that it is the firm commitment of present dispensation that every part of the UT gets a durable road network for rapid growth and development.
He said that the prime objective of PMGSY is to provide connectivity, by way of all-weather road to the unconnected habitations in rural areas.
Meanwhile, as part of e-inauguration ceremony of 75 Infrastructure projects by Rajnath Singh, the Hajibal-Z Gali-Machill road was inaugurated by him here today at Surkoli Kalaroose in Kupwara through virtual mode.
Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, Doifode Sagar Dattatray; 53 Brigade Commander, Vinod Negi; Colonel, M A Khan besides officers from Army and civil administration were present on the occasion.
It was informed during the event that the Hajibal-Z Gali-Machill road, spreading over a length of 33.96 km has been constructed with a cost of Rs. 83.66 crore by Border Roads Organization 109 RCC GREF, Kupwara.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner congratulated the BRO team for e-inauguration of the road by the Union Defense Minister.
Rajnath Singh also e- inaugurated four vital projects of BRO in Rajouri. These projects included two roads and two bridges.
The roads constructed by BRO include Pouni-Kalakote-Rajouri Road and Rajouri-Kandi-Budhal Road in the Border district. The Defence Minister also e-inaugurated two bridges Suktoh Bridge over Gambhir Nallah and Deeing Bridge in Nowshera tehsil.
OC BRO 53 RCC, Major Manjunath, while briefing about the significance of Suktao Bridge, said that it will provide all weather connectivity from Rajouri to forward border locations to the civil population as well as Defence Forces. He also said that earlier only a DDRBB of load classification 24R narrow temporary Bailey bridge existed in the area leading to traffic congestion during peak hours.
District Development Commissioner Rajouri, Vikas Kundal along with OC 58RCC, Manjunathan were present at the site of inaugurated Road at Dhangri.
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