The Hangpang Dada Subhansiri Bridge in Arunachal Pradesh built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu on Monday (April 20, 2020). The bridge has been constructed to ensure that the supplies of the essential items amid the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown are not affected in the area.
The bridge has been successfully upgraded from class 24 tons to class 40 tons, allowing heavier vehicles to pass amid the nationwide coronavirus lockdown. The bridge is a strategic link towards the LAC between India and China. All supplies, rations, constructional material and medicines pass over this bridge. The old bridge had developed cracks which could have led to a major catastrophe like on July 26, 1992, when a passenger bus fell off the bridge and left no survivors.
The bridge was inaugurated by the CM through a video conference.
The CM took to his official Twitter account and said, “A momentous occasion today to have inaugurated Hangpan Dada Subansiri bridge through video conferencing. Innovative way at times of coronavirus. I am confident that nothing can come in our way as we build our country’s resilience, strength, and courage to beat the pandemic.”
The construction work of the bridge was started on March 17, 2020, and has been completed within a record one month time which was also appreciated by the CM in the video he shared on Twitter.
The Indian Army also shared the pictures of the bridge on their official Twitter account and wrote, “Border Roads Organisation is dedicated to keep the lines of communication open even through the challenges of COVID 19. Daporijo bridge on Subansiri River in Arunachal Pradesh has been upgraded thereby ensuring movement of essential supplies in the area.”
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries. Officers from the Border Roads Engineering Service (BRES) and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the Border Roads Organisation. It is also staffed by officers and troops drawn from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers.