OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Border Roads Organisation (BRO)'s Project Vartak on Thursday celebrated its 66th Raising Day, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening strategic border infrastructure and maintaining year-round connectivity in remote and high-altitude areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Project Vartak, which currently maintains around 2,066.90 km of strategically important roads, plays a key role in ensuring operational preparedness along the international border, besides supporting socio-economic development in remote frontier regions, a defence spokesperson said in a statement.
Originally raised as Project Tusker on May 7, 1960, it became the first BRO project to undertake road construction activities in the country. In 1963, the project was renamed Project Vartak following the Indianisation of project names, Defence Spokesperson Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said.
During 1964-65, the project undertook the challenging task of improving the Bhalukpong-Tenga-Tawang axis, including formation-cutting works connecting Bomdila with Sela and surfacing works from Bhalukpong to Rupa under difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions.
At present, Project Vartak operates through task forces located at Tenga, Sapper Camp and Khirmu, and is responsible for the construction, development and maintenance of strategic roads in Sonitpur district of Assam and the West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the statement said.
The project maintains several strategically important passes and locations, including Womingla, Bumla, Yangtse, Nagula, Y Junction, Klemta, Lungro GG, Monkey Pass, Lungar, Dhaula and Assam Hill. The project regularly undertakes snow-clearance and restoration works to ensure uninterrupted connectivity for civilian movement and defence operations.
Lt Col Rawat said 67 roads with 119 ongoing works are currently under progress within the Project Area of Responsibility. The project is also maintaining 1,309.22 km of roads and carrying out snow-clearance operations over 550.83 km in extreme climatic conditions.
Apart from infrastructure development, Project Vartak has also played a significant role in disaster response and restoring connectivity during floods, landslides and other natural calamities in the Northeast.
BRO personnel have continued to serve in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions, contributing to national integration and the development of border areas, officials said.
On the occasion of the Raising Day celebrations, the project reiterated its commitment to enhancing border connectivity and serving the nation in some of the country's most challenging frontiers.
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