Shyok Tunnel Opens, 125 Border Projects Launched Worth Rs 5,000 Crore

In a significant push to strengthen India’s frontier connectivity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday dedicated 125 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) infrastructure projects,-the most in one go from Ladakh, collectively worth Rs 5,000 crore, to the nation. The projects span seven states – Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram – and the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.

The new assets include 28 roads, 93 bridges, and four other critical works, aimed at accelerating military mobility, boosting local livelihoods, and integrating remote border villages into the national mainstream, the Defence Ministry said.

Shyok Tunnel: A New Lifeline in High-Altitude Terrain

Singh inaugurated the projects from the Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) Road, where the BRO has completed the 920-metre Shyok Tunnel, a key strategic asset in one of the world’s harshest terrains. Described as an engineering milestone, the tunnel – built in a ‘cut-and-cover’ configuration – will provide all-weather access to forward areas that frequently face heavy snowfall, avalanches and extreme sub-zero temperatures.

The tunnel is expected to dramatically enhance the Army’s rapid deployment capabilities along the critical northern frontier.

Galwan War Memorial Unveiled

Singh also virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial, built to honour the soldiers’ bravery and sacrifice. He reiterated the government’s commitment to developing border regions, calling connectivity “a lifeline for security, prosperity and disaster response.”

“Better border infrastructure ensures military mobility, smooth logistics, more tourism, greater employment, and above all, stronger faith in development and democracy,” he said.

‘Could Have Done Much More’: Singh on Operation Sindoor

Referring to the recent Operation Sindoor, launched following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Singh noted that robust connectivity played a decisive role in the operation’s swift success.

“Everybody knows what befell those terrorists. We could have done much more, but our forces – showing courage and restraint – did only what was necessary,“ he said, crediting timely logistics delivery and seamless coordination between the Armed Forces, civil administration and border communities.

Infrastructure as a Driver of Security and Growth

Linking border development to India’s economic performance, Singh highlighted the country’s 8.2% GDP growth in the second quarter of FY 2025–26. Despite global conflicts and regional security challenges, he said, India continues to push ahead both economically and strategically.

The Defence Minister also noted BRO’s record expenditure of Rs 16,690 crore in 2024–25 and its enhanced fiscal allocation of Rs 7,146 crore in the 2025–26 Union Budget. A target of Rs 18,700 crore has been set for the current fiscal year.

BRO’s Expanding Role

BRO Director-General Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan said the organisation has emerged as the preferred executing agency for critical infrastructure among top central ministries. Over the past two years alone, 356 BRO projects have been completed across high-altitude, desert, flood-prone and dense forest terrains.

He said the agency’s expanding mandate reflects its central role in strengthening national security and accelerating development in some of India’s most remote regions.

Team BharatShakti