The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), India’s foremost organization tasked with building and upkeeping infrastructure in some of the most formidable terrains, has officially announced its ambitious project to build the World’s Highest Airfield in Ladakh’s Nyoma region.
World’s Highest Airfield: Key Facts
☛ The BRO is set to construct the world’s highest fighter airfield in the Nyoma region of Ladakh.
☛ The cost of the project is Rs 218 crore.
☛ The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is responsible for constructing and maintaining infrastructure in challenging terrains across India (Mainly the hilly border areas of India).
Read Also: India’s First Solar City: Key Points
☛ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Nyoma Airfield project on September 12, 2023, at Devak Bridge in Jammu.
☛ The Nyoma Airfield aims to enhance the air infrastructure in Ladakh and bolster the Indian Air Force’s capabilities along the northern borders.
☛ Nyoma, the world’s highest airfield, is positioned at an impressive altitude of 4,180 m (13,710 ft).
☛ The BRO is also inaugurating 90 infrastructure projects on September 12, valued at Rs 2941 crore, including roads, bridges, tunnels, airstrips, and helipads.
☛ The Devak Bridge on the Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur road in Jammu and Kashmir is of special significance among these projects.
☛ The BRO has recently completed eight roads in Arunachal Pradesh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at a cost of Rs 678 crore.
☛ In the last few years, the BRO has completed 295 projects worth ₹11,000 crore, with a focus on infrastructure development along the 3,488 km stretch of the LAC.
Read Also: India’s Largest Single-Location PSU Refinery: Key Facts
☛ The Indian government has significantly increased funding for the BRO in recent years, with the budget rising from ₹3,000 crore in 2008 to ₹12,340 crore in the last year.
☛ The BRO has demonstrated its ability to complete these strategic projects in record time, often within a single working season, using advanced technology.
☛ These projects are spread across various regions, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Read Also: India’s Longest Glass Bridge Opens in Vagamon, Kerala: Key Points
World’s Highest Airfield in a Nutshell
| Project name | New Fighter Airfield in Ladakh |
|---|---|
| Significance | World’s highest Fighter Airfield |
| Altitude of | 4,180 m (13,710 ft) |
| Location | Eastern Ladakh’s Nyoma region, India |
| Cost | Rs 218 crore |
| Status | Foundation Stone Just Laid |
| Foundation Stone Laid by | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh |
| Rajnath Singh Laid the foundation Stone at | Devak Bridge in Jammu |
| Date of Laying | September 12, 2023 |
| Objectives | The construction is sure to boost the air infrastructure in Ladakh and augment the capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) along the northern borders. |
BRO’s Recent Project Development in a Nutshell
| Development/Project | Details |
|---|---|
| The world’s highest fighter airfield in Ladakh | • The foundation stone will be laid by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 12, 2023. • The airfield will be developed at a cost of Rs 218 crore. |
| Inauguration of 90 BRO infrastructure projects | The recent completion of 8 roads in Arunachal Pradesh along the LAC |
| Recent completion of 8 roads in Arunachal Pradesh along the LAC | • The roads were completed at a cost of Rs 678 crores. |
| Completion of 103 BRO infrastructure projects in 2022 | • The projects were dedicated to the nation at a cost of Rs 2897 crore. |
| Completion of 102 BRO infrastructure projects in 2021 | • The projects were inaugurated at a cost of Rs 2229 crore. |
| BRO’s recent focus on infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) | • The BRO has been able to complete these projects in a record time frame, using state-of-the-art technology. |
About Border Roads Organisation
| Abbreviation | BRO |
|---|---|
| Formation | 7 May 1960 |
| Purpose | Providing infrastructure to the armed forces of India and friendly nations |
| Headquarters | Seema Sadak Bhawan, New Delhi |
| Director General | Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary |
| Parent organisation | Ministry of Defence |
