Laying the foundation stone for one of the world’s highest fighter airfields at Nyoma in eastern Ladakh amid the continuing military stand-off with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that this airfield would prove to be a game changer for the armed forces.
Singh, at a function near the India-Pakistan border in Jammu, virtually laid the foundation for the strategic airfield and dedicated to the nation 90 infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), worth over Rs 2,900 crore, spread across 11 states and Union territories.
Union minister Jitendra Singh accompanied the defence minister. The lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, received Singh at the Jammu’s Indian Air Force airfield.
The Nyoma Airfield, to be developed at a cost of about Rs 200 crore, will boost the air infrastructure in Ladakh and augment IAF’s capability along the northern border. The defence minister exuded confidence that this airfield, which will be one of the world’s highest (13,710 feet above sea level), would prove to be a game changer for the Indian military.
Singh announced that the BRO will soon set another unique record with the construction of the Shinkun La tunnel, the world’s highest tunnel at an altitude of 15,855 feet, in Himachal Pradesh.
The tunnel will connect Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal to the Zanskar valley in Ladakh and provide all-weather connectivity, he said, commending the BRO for developing infrastructure in border areas and making an invaluable contribution to the security of the nation.
He emphasized that infrastructure development in border areas is not only effective for national security, but also promotes connectivity with a neighbouring country which functions with a spirit of cooperation with India. He pointed out that the BRO has constructed infrastructure projects in several countries such as Myanmar and Bhutan and helped in strengthening peace and cooperation with them.
Among the projects dedicated by the defence minister include the Nechiphu tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, two airfields in West Bengal, two helipads, 22 roads, and 63 bridges. Of these 90 projects, 36 are in Arunachal Pradesh, 26 in Ladakh, 11 in Jammu & Kashmir, five in Mizoram, three in Himachal Pradesh, two each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and one each in Nagaland, Rajasthan, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The BRO has completed the construction of these strategically important projects in record time; most of them in a single working season using state-of-the-art technology.
In his address, Singh described the BRO as the ‘bro (brother)’ of the armed forces, asserting that, through its infrastructure projects, BRO is not only securing India’s borders but also playing a key role in the socio-economic development of the far-flung areas.
He credited the timely completion of these projects to the hard work and dedication of its personnel as well as the commitment of the government under the leadership of the prime minister, Narendra Modi.
“Together with BRO, we are ensuring that the nation is secure and border areas are developed. Timely completion of infrastructure projects in far-flung areas has now become the new normal of ‘New India’,” he said.
The event was organized in Jammu at Devak Bridge on Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road, which was inaugurated by the defence minister. The state-of-the-art 422.9-meter-long Devak bridge about three kilometres from the Pakistan border is of strategic importance as it will enhance the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces and boost the socioeconomic development of the region.
An important infrastructure project inaugurated by him the 500-metre-long Nechiphu tunnel on Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang Road in Arunachal Pradesh will provide all-weather connectivity to the strategic Tawang region.
The revamped Bagdogra and Barrackpore airfields in West Bengal were also dedicated to the nation. These airfields, reconstructed at a cost of over Rs 500 crore, will not only bolster the preparedness of the IAF but also facilitate commercial flight operations in the region.
Singh termed the working style and projects of the BRO as a shining example of civil-military fusion. “Civil-military fusion is the need of the hour, as the responsibility of the nation’s security lies not only with the soldiers but also with the civilians. The BRO is developing infrastructure for the security of the country by coordinating with the civil and military sectors. This collaboration will write a number of golden chapters in the field of border infrastructure,” he said.
While Singh underlined the need to work together to protect India’s borders, he lauded the cooperation of state governments, despite ideological differences, towards securing national interests.
He appreciated the BRO for being conscious of its responsibilities towards the environment and using modern techniques and technologies for infrastructure development. “Until now, we have worked with the mantra of ‘minimum investment, maximum value’ investment. Now, we need to move forward with the mantra of ‘minimum environment degradation, maximum national security, maximum welfare environment degradation, maximum national security, maximum welfare’,” he said.
Jitendra Singh, Member of Parliament, Jammu, Jugal Kishore Sharma, director general, Border Roads, Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhry and Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha, air officer commanding in chief, Western Air Command, were among those present on the occasion. The chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, joined the event virtually.
Jitendra Singh thanked the prime minister for giving high priority to Jammu & Kashmir. He said he was grateful to Rajnath Singh for inaugurating nine BRO projects in Jammu & Kashmir.