Border Roads Organisation^[1]

सीमा सड़क संगठन
Logo of Border Road Organisation
Flag of BRO
Abbreviation	BRO
Formation	7 May 1960
Purpose	Providing infrastructure to the armed forces of India and friendly nations
Headquarters	Seema Sadak Bhawan,Delhi Cantonment,New Delhi
Director General	Lt. Gen. Raghu Srinivasan[2]
Parent organisation	Ministry of Defence
Budget	₹7,146.5crore (US$850 million) (2025–26)[3]
Awards	23 ×Kirti Chakra 218 ×Shaurya Chakra 2 ×Padma Shri 16 ×Param Vishisht Seva Medal 43 ×Ati Vishisht Seva Medal 25 ×Sena Medal 3 ×Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak 17 ×Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak (see#Decorations for more details)
Website	bro.gov.in

TheBorder Roads Organisation (BRO) is astatutory body under theownership of the Ministry of Defence of theGovernment of India. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries. This includes infrastructure operations in 19 states and three union territories (includingAndaman and Nicobar Islands) and neighboring countries such asAfghanistan,Bhutan,Myanmar,Tajikistan, andSri Lanka. By 2022, BRO had constructed over 55,000 kilometres (34,000 mi) of roads, over 450 permanent bridges with a total length of over 44,000 metres (27 mi), and 19 airfields in strategic locations. BRO is also tasked with maintaining this infrastructure, including operations such as snow clearance.^[4][5][6][7]

Officers from theBorder Roads Engineering Service (BRES) and personnel from theGeneral Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the BRO. It is also staffed by officers and troops drawn from the Indian Army Corps of Engineers on extra regimental employment (on deputation). TheIndian Army Pioneer Corps is attached to the BRO task forces. BRO is also included in theOrder of Battle of the Armed Forces, ensuring their support at any time.^[8] The organisations motto isShramena Sarvam Sadhyam (everything is achievable through hardwork).^[9]

BRO is instrumental in significantly upgrading and building newIndia-China Border Roads (ICBRs).^[10][11] BRO set aGuinness World Record in November 2021 for the "highest altitude road" atUmling La,Ladakh.^[12] BRO has been instrumental in constructing projects likeAtal Tunnel,Atal Setu, and Col Chewang Rinchen Setu, to name a few.

The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.^[13] To ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the prime minister as chairman of the board and with the defence minister as deputy chairman.

Today, the BRDB exercises the financial and other powers of a Department of the Government of India and is chaired by theMinister of State for Defence. Among others, Chief(s) of Army and Air Staff, Engineer-in-Chief, Director General Border Roads (DGBR), and FA(DS) are members of the BRDB. The secretary of the board exercises the powers ofJoint Secretary to the Government of India. The executive head of the BRO is the Director General Border Roads (DGBR), who holds the rank oflieutenant general.^[14] In a bid to boost border connectivity, BRO has been entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence in 2015. Earlier, it received funds from the Ministry of Surface Transport under theMinistry of Road Transport and Highways.^[15][16]

The BRO consists of the Border Roads Wing under the Ministry of Defense and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF). Officers are selected through theIES Examination conducted by theUPSC. Officers are also deputed from the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, who are posted to GREF on ERE. The GREF includes civil engineers, mechanical engineers, administrative officers, and medical officers.

The Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) officers are governed by the Central Civil Services (CCS/ CCA) Rules, 1965. They are also subjected to all provisions of theArmy Act, 1950 and Army Rules, 1954, except for a few exceptions as given in SRO 329 and SRO 330, both 23 September 1960. GREF is an integral part of the Armed Forces within meaning of Article 33^[17] of the Constitution of India and members of GREF are also members of the Armed Forces as declared by theSupreme Court in respect ofR. Viswan vs Union of India 1983 and authorized for all benefits which apply to Armed Forces of India.^[8] The organisation's operations are spread across India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.^[4] The BRO includes 18 projects, which are divided into Task Forces, Road Construction Companies (RCCs), Bridge Construction Companies (BCCs), Drain Maintenance Companies (DMCs), and Platoons. The organisation also includes base workshops, store divisions, training and recruitment centers, and other staff.^[18]

AnInternal Financial Advisor (IFA) supports the BRO, performing the roles of Chief Accounts Officer and Internal Auditor. This system was introduced on 23 March 1995 to introduce efficiency and improve resource utilisation.^[19] The IFA securedISO 9001 certification in December 1999. The organisation employs laborers locally. No local labourer is deployed in BRO for more than 179 days at a stretch, thus keeping the nature of their employment casual.^[20]

A list of the Director General of Border Road (DGBR):^[21]

In June 2021, the "Centre of Excellence for Road Safety & Awareness" and "Centre of Excellence for Roads, Bridges, Air Fields and Tunnels" were set up.^[24]

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Indian Border Roads Organisation v t e
					Director general महानिदेशक जनरल		Additional director general अतिरिक्त महानिदेशक जनरल		Chief engineer मुख्य अभियन्ता		Superintending engineer अधीक्षण अभियंता		Executive engineer कार्यकारी अभियंता				Assistant executive engineer सहायक कार्यकारी अभियंता		Assistant engineer सहायक अभियंता

Other ranks

Rank group	Subordinate Officers (SO)										Non commissioned officers (NCO)																		Enlisted
Indian Border Roads Organisation[25] v t e																													No insignia
	Senior translation officer						Junior engineer/ Senior supervisor/ Superintendent/ Translation officer		Assistant superintendent	Supervisor	Radio mechanic			Leading hand			Special grade						Grade-I				Grade-II		Pioneer

BRO is entrusted with the construction of roads, bridges, tunnels, causeways, helipads, and airfields. The BRO is also in charge of the maintenance of its road networks. In many places, landslides, avalanches, and snow block the routes and have to be cleared as quickly as possible. BRO also employs more than 200,000 casual paid labourers for the task.^[8]

1. To develop and maintain the operational road infrastructure of General Staff (GS) roads in the border areas.^[8]
2. To contribute to the socio-economic development of the border states.^[8]

1. To develop and maintain roads to keep the line of control through in original sectors and re-deployed sectors.^[8]
2. To execute additional tasks as laid down by the government contributing to the war effort.^[8]

BRO collaborates withCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to bring the private sector innovations to border areas with the military's mission-oriented precision and discipline. This includes the use of therejupe mix which allows bitumen to work at lower temperatures, use of high quality interlocking paver blocks in the durable roads at icy alpine heights, geotagging waypoints allowing snow-clearing machinery to stay accurately on the road while road is covered with snow with steep cliff-face gorges, etc.^[26]

In response to the ever-present security threat from Pakistan and increased incursions and rapid border infrastructure from China, India, too, is undertaking border infrastructure development.

The BRO undertakes projects in India and friendly countries. These projects typically include developing roads, bridges, and airfields in hostile environments shunned by private enterprises, whether due to security concerns related to hostilities or because of environmental challenges. BRO has been active during the 1962 war, the conflicts with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, and has also been active in anti-insurgency operations in the northeast.^[8]

The BRO operates in 18 projects namely: Arunank, Beacon, Brahmank, Chetak, Deepak, Dantak^[27] (Bhutan), Himank, Hirak, Pushpak, Sampark, Yojak, Sewak, Shivalik, Swastik, Udayak, Vartak and Vijayak.^[28][29]

Project Vijayak, raised in 2010, Project Vijayak has developed over 1,400 km of roads and 80 bridges inLadakh. On its 15th Raising Day in 2025, it announced ₹1,200 crore worth of new works, including tunnels, bridges, and advanced road technologies. The project is noted for reopening theZojila Pass within 31 days in 2025, and reflects India’s focus on connectivity and development in remote frontier^[30]

As per a July 2017 update toLok Sabha from the Government of India, construction of 73 completed strategic roads along theSino-India border was approved in 2005 with initial and currently revised deadlines of 2012–2013 and 2019–2020 respectively, including 43 by the Ministry of Defence and 27 by the Ministry of Home Affairs, of which only 21 roads by March 2017 and 30 roads by July 2017 have been completed and the remaining are under construction as progress was slowed down due to wildlife conservation and environmental approval, insurgency related security hurdles, delay in land acquisition by the states, inaccessible terrain, inclement weather, and other impediments.

BRO is constructing 63 out of these 73 roads as it costs BRO₹15 million (equivalent to₹21 million, US$250,000 or €220,000 in 2023) to₹30 million (equivalent to₹42 million, US$500,000 or €440,000 in 2023) per km compared to₹60 million (equivalent to₹84 million, US$1.0 million or €880,000 in 2023) to₹70 million (equivalent to₹98 million, US$1.2 million or €1.0 million in 2023) per km of road construction by the private companies.^[36][37] In two years alone, 2015–16 and 2016–17, prime ministerNarendra Modi's government has allocated more than US$4.7 billion in contracts for the development of border roads, which also includes the US$256 million 1,360 kilometres (850 mi)India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway fromMoreh in Manipur throughTamu, Myanmar toMae Sot in Thailand.^[38]

In July 2020, BRO was also tasked withbuilding new roads to connect eastern Bhutan to westernTawang area such asLumla-Trashigang road throughSakteng Wildlife Sanctuary.^[39]

To provide multiple points of alternative connectivity to the forces, BRO is building 410 2-lane class-70 (heavy load bearing including tanks) road bridges along the 3,440 km (2,140 mi) longMcMahon Line border with China, including 144 inArunachal Pradesh (75 already under construction and will be completed by 2020), 100 under construction inJammu and Kashmir, 55 under construction inUttrakhand, 40 under construction inSikkim and 25 under construction inHimachal Pradesh (c. Dec 2017).^[40] The annual pace of construction is 3 km (1.9 mi) of bridges (c. Dec 2017).^[40] On 12 October 2020, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 44 new bridges.^[41]

In November 2017, BRO announced the plan to construct 17 road and rail tunnels, with a total length of 100 km (62 mi), on some of the 73 strategic roads on the Sino-Indian border to provide year-round all-weather rail and road surface connectivity. Currently, surface access to high altitude posts on the Sino-India border is closed for six months every year due to snowfall and rain, and supplies are through air lift only. Some of these 17 tunnels are already under construction, includingSrinagar-Kargil-Leh NH1 in J&K (Zoji La pass tunnel),Leh-Manali Highway in J&K and Himachal Pradesh (Lungalacha La,Bara-lacha la,Tanglang La,Shingo La nearNimo andRohtang Tunnel), 578 meterTheng Pass tunnel on NH310A betweenChungthang andTung in North Sikkim,Nechipu Pass (nearBomdila) andSela Pass tunnels onBogibeel Assam to Sagalee to Tawang NH13 in Arunachal Pradesh. This will reduce the travel time and operational costs, and eliminate the risk of avalanches and landslides.^[42][43]

Some of these projects carry out some of the development initiatives of the Indian government in foreign territories like Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Bhutan. These include theDelaram-Zaranj Highway in Afghanistan, completed and handed over to the Afghan government during 2008,^[44] and the restoration of theFarkhor^[45] andAyni^[46] air bases in Tajikistan.

The BRO also played a vital role in reconstruction work in the aftermath of the devastating 2004tsunami inTamil Nadu, the2005 Kashmir earthquake,^[47]and the2010 Ladakh flash floods.^[48]

Awards attained by BRO personnel between 1960 and 31 January 2020:^[49]

• 23 ×Kirti Chakra
• 218 ×Shaurya Chakra
• 2 × Bar to Shaurya Chakra
• 2 ×Padam Shree
• 16 ×Param Vishisht Seva Medals
• 43 ×Ati Vishist Seva Medals
• 110 ×Vishisht Seva Medals
• 25 ×Sena Medals
• 3 ×Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak
• 17 ×Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak
• 69 ×Jeevan Raksha Padak

In 2009, eight Shaurya Chakras, all posthumous, were awarded to BRO personnel for their actions in places such as Afghanistan, Sikkim, the north-east and Jammu and Kashmir.^[50] Bulldozer operator Zalim Singh, Bar to the Shaurya Chakra, was crushed by boulders while clearing a strategic road for Indian Army tanks. Two BRO men working on BRO's Project Zaranj in Afghanistan were killed during a suicide bomb attack onZaranj-Delaram highway. Engineer Santosh Kumar Singh and driver Jaikrit Singh Rawat, while working on the Kishtwar-Sinthan Pass, died in an ambush. Others died or were killed in places such as Meghalaya, Kailash Mansarovar, Kali River, and Hapoli Sarli-Huri road.^[51]

In November 2021, BRO received a Guinness World Record for the "highest altitude road" following construction atUmling La.^[52][12] In June 2021, with the assistance of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO),Kanchan Ugursandi made a solo motorcycle expedition to Umling La.^[53]

• 
  The Minister of State for Defence in a group photograph during the Chief Engineers Conference, organised by the BRO, 2013
• 
  Union Minister for Defence releasing a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Coffee table book 'Will of Steel', in New Delhi. NSA is also present.
• 
  Director General, Border Roads, Lt Gen Arun Kumar Nanda addressing an Annual Press Conference on the eve of 48th Raising Day of the BRO, 2008
• 
  BRO road signs

• Indian Army Corps of Engineers
• Trans-Arunachal Highway
• Mago-Thingbu to Vijaynagar Border Road
• Chota Char Dham Railway

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