Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dedicated 44 bridges built in border areas of Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir to the nation on Monday.

Inaugurating the bridges through video-conferencing, the defence minister referred to the situation along India’s borders with Pakistan and China.

Under the “visionary” leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is not only facing these crises strongly, but is also bringing major and historical changes in all the areas, Rajnath Singh said.

Most of the 44 bridges, including seven in Ladakh, are in strategically important areas and they will help the armed forces in ensuring quick movement of troops and weapons, officials said.

The defence minister also symbolically laid the foundation stone of the Nechiphu tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh at the virtual event.

The inauguration of the bridges built by the Border Roads Organisation comes at a time when India is engaged in a standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.

The defence minister also complimented the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for working tirelessly even during the coronavirus-triggered lockdown period.

“The BRO has continued operations in the North Eastern States, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. BRO continued its work while ensuring that snow clearance is not delayed at remote locations,” he said.

Amid the border standoff with China, India is expediting work on several key projects, including on a strategic road linking Darcha in Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh that will criss-cross a number of high-altitude snow-bound passes.

The nearly 290-km-long road will be crucial for the movement of troops and heavy weaponry into the frontier bases of the Ladakh region and will provide a crucial link to the Kargil region.

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