Itanagar, Jan 3 (UNI) Giving a big boost to the connectivity sector, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday dedicated 28 infrastructure projects, including the strategically important Siyom Bridge in Arunachal Pradesh, to the Nation.

The Defence Minister inaugurated the 100-metre-long steel arch bridge over river Siyom and virtually launched 27 other infrastructure projects by pressing the remote button from the bridge site in presence of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Indian Army’s Eastern Command Lt Gen RP Kalita, GOC 3 Corps Lt Gen RC Tiwari and other dignitaries.

The 28 infrastructure projects built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of Rs 724.3 crore are spread across seven border States and Union Territories - Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttarakhand.

Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Minister said that inauguration of all such projects at one go was the outcome of collaborative effort of BRO and Government of India towards the growth and development of border areas.

Asserting that connecting border areas was the government’s top priority, he further said that inauguration of the key bridge will facilitate easy movement of defence forces and transportation

of heavy artillery along the India-China border.

Hailing the Arunachal CM, Rajnath Singh said that under the leadership of Pema Khandu this Northeastern state during the last few years achieved new heights in developmental front in

almost all sectors – be it health, education, transport or tourism and added, today’s inauguration

of Siyom Bridge will give a new push to the pace of development of this region and entire

Arunachal Pradesh as a whole.

Congratulating the BRO, Armed Forces and the people of the region on getting new projects, the Defence Minister, who also released a compendium on new technologies prepared by BRO and being adopted by the agency in construction of roads, bridges, airfields and tunnels, said, “I am confident that the BRO will continue to achieve success in its efforts towards nation building, and emerge as a key contributor to the country's growing stature in the future.”

On the occasion, the Defence Minister also inaugurated three Telemedicine Nodes in Medical Inspection Rooms located at remote & difficult locations of Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and

Mizoram.

These nodes have been set up to provide prompt medical assistance in medical & surgical emergencies through telemedicine consultation, which will prove to be extremely helpful for the healthcare needs of the local people, he said.

In his speech, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, inauguration of 28 infrastructure projects including the Siyom bridge itself conveys a clear-cut message that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre will not back track in improving the connectivity sector in the Himalayan belt starting from J&K to Arunachal Pradesh.

Stating that under the Modi government Arunachal Pradesh has gotten lots of infrastructure especially in communication sector benefiting the people and Indian Armed Forces, Khandu said that post Independence till 2013, 20,000 kms of roads had been built in Arunachal Pradesh while during the last eight years from 2014 to December 2022, we could add more than 10,000 kms of road.

“This was possible only because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s blessings,” he said.

Apart from theongoing Trans Arunachal Pradesh project, Khandu said, with the recent approval of 2500 km road projects comprising two major components - Frontier Highway and Inter-connectivity

of district roads, once completed will benefit the Defence Forces as well as the civilians.

UNI TD BM