THE BORDER ROADS ORGANISATION

A BRIEF PERSPECTIVE

“Let us not forget that roads in this difficult terrain have been built not only with mere cement and concrete, but also with the blood of men of the Border Roads Organisation of India.  Many lost their lives for the cause of duty on the project.  To these men, who always play with danger and laugh at death, duty comes first.  These fallen heroes came from all parts of Mother  India, to contribute their mite to the defence of their mother land and prosperity of their neighbours”..

From an Article ‘Highways to Adventure’

published in ‘THE MIRROR’ Magazine, Jul 1975

The Genesis

The early years post Independence saw India with a 15000 kilometers long border to be secured and a vast, remote and economically backward North and North Eastern Region, with an inadequate  road communication network, to support its future development.

The 1950’s was one of consolidation and learning, politically and militarily.  With the advent of the Five Year Plans from 1951, the Central and State Government stepped in.  With the Constitution having declared road development as a State subject , the responsibility of  road development continued in the North and North Eastern States to be entrusted to the PWD, even where defence strategy was involved.  

However, what become apparently clear was that, the roads for the Border States were forbidding challenges, needing dedicated commitment, time and money,   to open up the hinterland to the out side