Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to inaugurate 43 bridges in seven states and UTs on Thursday

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday will inaugurate 43 bridges built in border areas of Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. He will also lay the foundation stone of Nechiphu Tunnel on road to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh at 10.30 am. 

Singh will dedicate the 43 bridges made by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to the nation. Out of the bridges, 10 are in Jammu and Kashmir, two in Himachal Pradesh, eight each in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh and four each in Sikkim and Punjab.

An official statement read, "43 Bridges made by BRO across 7 States/ UTs in J&K-10, Ladakh-7, HP-2, Punjab-4, Uttarakhand-8, Arunachal-8 and Sikkim-4 dedicated to Nation & Foundation Stone of Nechiphu Tunnel on road to Tawang will be  laid by Raksha Mantri tomorrow at 10.30 am."

Most of the 43 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, according to officials on Wednesday.

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

Amid the border row 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.