Jammu: After laying the foundation stone of Nyoma Airfield in Eastern Ladakh virtually, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that one of the world’s highest airfields will boost the air infrastructure and would prove to be a game-changer for the Armed Forces.
The Nyoma Airfield will be built at a cost of around Rs 200 crore and is located just 35 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Ladakh sector.
The Defence Minister was dedicating to the nation, the 90 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), at an event here in Jammu.
The projects are worth over Rs 2,900 crore and spread across 11 states/Union Territories.
These 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 and Kashmir; five in Mizoram; three in Himachal Pradesh; two each in Sikkim, Uttarakhand & West Bengal and one each in Nagaland, Rajasthan and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
He also expressed hope 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.
The tunnel will connect Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal to the Zaskar 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.
Singh emphasised that infrastructure development in border areas is not only effective for national security, but also promotes connectivity with a neighbouring country that functions with a spirit of cooperation with India.
He pointed out that the BRO has constructed infrastructure projects in several countries such as Myanmar & Bhutan and helped strengthen peace and cooperation with them.
The event was organised at Devak Bridge on Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road, which was inaugurated by the Defence Minister.
The state-of-the-art 422.9 meter-long Class 70 RCC Devak bridge is of strategic importance as it will enhance the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces and boost the socio-economic development of the region.
An important infrastructure project inaugurated by the Defence minister was the 500-metre-long Nechiphu Tunnel on Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road in Arunachal Pradesh.
This tunnel, along with the under-construction Sela Tunnel, will provide all-weather connectivity to the strategic Tawang Region. It will be beneficial to the Armed Forces deployed in the region and the tourists visiting Tawang. Singh had laid the foundation stone of the tunnel in October 2020.
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 Indian Air Force (IAF) but also facilitate commercial flight operations in the region. (AGENCIES)

Press Trust of India