·       The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was established in 1960 with just two projects: Project Tusker (now Vartak) in the East and Project Beacon in the North.

·       To ensure efficient execution, the Government of India established the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman and the Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.

·       From its modest beginnings, the BRO has grown into a dynamic organization with 18 projects operating in 11 States and three Union Territories.

·       Officers and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) constitute the parent cadre of the BRO.

·       The BRO undertakes road construction and maintenance at altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft to 19,000 ft along the Northern and Western frontiers, primarily to meet the strategic needs of the Armed Forces.

·       The BRO is actively promoting gender equality and inclusivity, providing significant roles and opportunities to women. Officers like Col Ponung Doming are leading critical projects in Eastern Ladakh.

·       In the fiscal year 2023-24, the BRO completed 125 infrastructure projects valued at Rs 3,611 crore. Notable among these is the construction of the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh along the Balipara-Chardwar-Tawang Road.

·       The BRO is set to begin construction of the 4.10-km long Shinkun La Tunnel. Once completed, it will be the world’s highest tunnel at 15,800 ft, surpassing China’s Mila Tunnel at 15,590 ft.