[ruzbehxyz]

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is developing six-foot tracks in Arunachal Pradesh in order to improve connectivity to the remote areas in the state.

Project Arunank of the BRO has attached priority on development of the six-foot tracks and has commenced work in full swing to achieve the desired goals within three years.

The tracks include Huri-Tapa (20.44 km), Tap-Goying (18.6 km), TapaKaru (43.18 km), Sarli-Semai (54.87 km), Sarli-Phulle (34.38 km) and Nacho-Bangte (41.6 km) in Kurung Kumey and Upper Subansiri districts bordering China.

Source: https://www.projectstoday.com/News/B...nachal-Pradesh

[MotoBlip]

The BRO operates in 18 projects namely: Arunank, Beacon, Brahmank, Chetak, Deepak, Dantak (Bhutan), Himank, Hirak, Pushpak, Sampark, Setuk (currently non-functional), Sewak, Shivalik, Swastik, Udayak, Vartak and Vijayak. (Himank is the one in Ladakh).

My dad was the Commander of one of the BRTFs(Border Road Task Force), under Project Vijayak in Kargil. He also overlooked several RCCs(Road Construction Companies) that fell under his purview. I had the good fortune of spending a few months with him in Kargil(had to leave since offrs/JCOs are not allowed to keep families during winters, mostly due to ration issues & also my college was starting soon). He used to take me along during many of his inspection visits, needless to say, I enjoyed every bit.

The job is very hectic and demanding, both physically and mentally. All the individuals involved are some of the most hardworking, dedicated and selfless chaps you'd see out there, I have immense respect for them and their work and anyone who has driven on these roads would second my views. Heck, they are better than what you'd find in many metro cities. It's not all technical, but a lot of administrative work is involved too, appropriating land, dealing with stubborn locals, coordinating with local politicians, rescue operations etc., it's all part of the job.
Would like to share a funny anecdote here, during an extreme winter in Kargil, due to some hapless and weird rationing glitch, only daal available to eat was black masoor. Dad had to eat it everyday for a month or two, until the supply stabilized, and now he has developed such aversion to this daal that whenever my mom cooks it at home, he stays clear of it.

Here are some pictures I found

During routine land and aerial Inspection




















Bridge construction near Khaltse, this very bridge was later inaugurated by then Chief minister of J&K, Mehbooba Mufti

A view from our house after fresh snowfall, lots of khubani(apricot) trees here.

En route to Dras, India's coldest inhabited place.

En route to Zo Jila Pass



Snow clearance at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport





A BEML Dozer


Off-topic
Random click, somewhere on the Leh-Kargil highway. Also notice the partially frozen Zanskar river

A view of our garden during summers

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by MotoBlip

My dad was the Commander of one of the BRTFs(Border Road Task Force), under Project Vijayak in Kargil. He also overlooked several RCCs(Road Construction Companies) that fell under his purview. I had the good fortune of spending a few months with him in Kargil(had to leave since offrs/JCOs are not allowed to keep families during winters, mostly due to ration issues & also my college was starting soon). He used to take me along during many of his inspection visits, needless to say, I enjoyed every bit.

That is really wonderful to know from a person who has had first hand experience of BRO. It is indeed a tough task at that terrain and in harsh climate. Would be eager to know from you and some more photos.

[MotoBlip]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

That is really wonderful to know from a person who has had first hand experience of BRO. It is indeed a tough task at that terrain and in harsh climate. Would be eager to know from you and some more photos.

For sure, will try to add more details and pics whenever possible. Meanwhile here is another trivia I vividly remember(also a total fanboy moment for me)

So to get to Kargil, we first had to fly to Leh and then another 3-3.5h by road. Now since my dad was posted there, this made us(family) eligible to fly at subsidized rates on IAF aircrafts. The SOPs mandated us to report to a TC(transit camp) in Chandigarh , where a doctor would certify us for travel. Now based on vacancies, you had to purchase air tickets which IFRC were 900 odd bucks. Then you boarded either an Il-76(Ilyushin) or a C-17 Globemaster, these aircraft run almost daily carrying food rations and other imp. equipment to Leh and I have had the good fortune of travelling in them both. These aircraft will look quite similar to the average joe, the key differentiating factor being the bump/lump under Il-76's nose, which holds the GSR(radar); no AC, no in-flight meals/entertainment, terrible seats , yet one of the most eventful 50 mins of my life.

[petrogeek]

BRO is one of the most unique organizations in the world having a blend of engineering and military flavour as well. These are the folks who have built some of the best roads in Arunachal Pradesh. There is a lot of respect for the people of BRO. Their commitment to professionalism in the most inhospitable terrains is commendable. They are right up there with our armed forces in Kargil etc. Hats off and much respect to the brave men and women of BRO.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by MotoBlip

Then you boarded either an Il-76(Ilyushin) or a C-17 Globemaster, these aircraft run almost daily carrying food rations and other imp. equipment to Leh and I have had the good fortune of travelling in them both.

It's possible that my query is rudimentary. I vaguely recall seeing folks sitting on the C-17 GM floor. Is it permissible, or am I utterly mistaken?

[MotoBlip]

Originally Posted by RGK

It's possible that my query is rudimentary. I vaguely recall seeing folks sitting on the C-17 GM floor. Is it permissible, or am I utterly mistaken?

It's permissible, infact during rescue missions this is what is done to maximize the number of people you can fit. US did this recently when they airlifted 640 afghans. The jump seats I think are non removable, hence you can see some people sitting on them too.



Infact I have seen people sitting atop the cargo pallets(see picture below) too. They hold on to cargo nets during takeoff and landing. It might not be a 100% safe but acceptable, plus the few times that I have travelled in these aircraft, they seem to handle turbulence like a pro and not much is felt inside.

[SnakemanJohny]

My dad too was in the Border Roads Organization, commonly called GREF (General Reserve Engineers Force) in inner circles. I grew up in projects Sewak, Swastik, Dantak, and Yatrik. That was long ago, and I am an old man now. But the comradeship in the force is such that even now I get special treatment while visiting areas where GREF operate when I mention my connections, as far as Great Nicobar island !

My late maternal uncle was also called "The father of BRO", because he was one of the pioneering figures in civil services during its founding, under JL Nehru. He was Secretary BRO for a long time, and retired as Adl. Secretary, Defence.

The Jonga and the Nissan One-tonner were selected initially for GREF after a tour of Japanese automakers Toyota and Nissan and were later manufactured at VFJ for all defence forces.

The original Jongas procured from Nissan Motors for GREF had metallic blue paint, and NISSAN bonnet emblems. I own one, though not in that colour !

[Shekhar Rao]

Motoblip
My heartfelt and grateful appreciation and admiration for people like your father and the BRO. Truly this is one of the toughest and most challenging jobs in the world. I had a first hand experience of riding on the roads of Leh /Ladhak on motorcycle some years ago and really understood what it takes to make and maintain these roads as well as their vital importance. As mentioned, some of these roads are so good that they could easily compete with the best roads in regular locations despite being at such altitudes and hostile climatic conditions. At one place we saw the BRO lay down a pontoon bridge in a few hours even as we waited for the link to be restored at a place where the road had been washed off.
My father served in the IAF and I had uncles in the Army and Navy. So I am always full of admiration of the work of our BRO.
The photographs you have attached are very good and give us a glimpse of the rigours of the task.

[ruzbehxyz]

24.03.2022.

BRO has launched 75 cafe in mesmerizing locations including world highest motorable road Umlingla Pass.

For further details log on : www.marvels.bro.gov.in

The user-friendly website aims to facilitate e-booking of guided tours to the road infrastructure projects constructed by the BRO. In the initial phase, only e-Booking for guided tour to Atal Tunnel, Rohtang will be available through the portal. Soon, infrastructure projects in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh etc. will be included for guided tours. World’s highest motorable road at Umling La Pass, state-of-the-art bi-lane Sela Tunnel and Nechiphu Tunnel are among the projects which will be included.

The first ticket from the website was presented to the Raksha Mantri by Director General Border Roads (DGBR) Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry on the occasion. Shri Rajnath Singh, in his address, appreciated the efforts of the BRO in developing the portal and exuded confidence that the website will go a long way in boosting tourism in far-flung areas. The website contains photo and video galleries of tourist destinations and local flora & fauna, besides providing information about the BRO, the nature of works it has executed in border states and the challenges faced. It also hosts technical information related to construction for those working in the field of civil engineering, especially students and academia. The Raksha Mantri said, in the coming times, it will be the most accessible & reliable source of information about the history & importance of the projects executed by the BRO and will provide a peek into the upcoming projects as well.

[ruzbehxyz]

The Border Roads Organization is currently building a new road in Pithoragarh district to Kailash Mansarovar holy site.

Every year many Indian pilgrims apply to MEA for the yatra and many get rejected for various reasons. One of the reasons was an arduous long trek, which involved good level of fitness.

For those who were rejected another option was privately going through Nepali and Chinese tour operators, who arranged all facilities to the holy site. However this is very costly and not affordable to all.

To remove all hardships and finishing the trek route, the Government is constructing this new road so that maximum pilgrims can reach Kailash Mansarovar every year.

The new route is being built in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. This new route involves three stretches. The first stretch from Pithoragarh to Tawaghat covers 107.6 km, the second from Tawaghat to Ghatiabgarh is a 19.5-km single lane, and the third from Ghatiabgarh to Lipulekh Pass at the China border. The third stretch is 80 km-long and can be covered on foot only.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is converting the single-lane Tawaghat to Ghatiabgarh stretch into a double lane. The military organisation is working on the connectivity from Dharchula (Uttarakhand) to Lipulekh, (China border). The road was inaugurated in May 2020 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Gadkari on Tuesday said that 85 per cent work has been completed. Once the construction is complete, pilgrims for Kailash Mansarovar can avoid the difficult 90 Km trek and move upto China border in vehicles.
The Darchula–Lipulekh road is an extension of Pithoragarh-Tawaghat-Ghatiabagarh road. It originates from Ghatiabagarh and terminates at Lipulekh Pass. In this 80 Km road, the altitude rises from 6000 feet to 17,060 feet.
Once the Pithoragarh project is complete, the arduous trek through treacherous high-altitude terrain can be avoided by the pilgrims and the period of journey will also be reduced by about two weeks.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/k...ticle-90431409

[ruzbehxyz]

08.May.2023.
A proud day for BRO as on this auspicious day of it's 64th Year of Raising, was awarded with the "World Book of Records" certification for constructing World's Highest Bailey Suspension Bridge over Shyok River on DS-DBO Road in Eastern Ladakh at 12,220 ft.

The Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt and DGBR received this award on behalf Border Roads Organisation.





Source: Twitter, Border Roads Organisation.

[ruzbehxyz]

Sep.2023.

Defence Minister inaugurated 90 infra projects of BRO. Out of these projects, 11 have been constructed in Jammu and Kashmir, 26 in Ladakh, 36 in Arunachal Pradesh, 5 in Mizoram, 3 in Himachal Pradesh, 2 each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and 1 each in Nagaland, Rajasthan and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Full story here: https://www.business-standard.com/in...1200884_1.html

[ruzbehxyz]

6500 crores allotted to BRO in the Budget for FY 2024-25.

Source:X