The Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh inaugurated Sisseri River Bridge at Lower Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh. He called for strengthening border infrastructure as the top most priority of the present government.
Sisseri River Bridge is a 200-metre long bridge between Jonai-Pasighat-Ranaghat-Roing road. This river bridge will provide better connectivity between Siang and Dibang Valley. It was actually a long-pending demand of the people of Arunachal Pradesh. Now, it would save the travel time from Pasighat to Roing by about five hours.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that government has built this bridge under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) so that people of the area can live peacefully and secure.
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Other announcements by Rajnath Singh
• Rajnath Singh announced several other infrastructure development programmes for border areas, especially for Arunachal Pradesh. He said that Bhalukpong – Tenga - Tawang railway line is under pipeline and work will be started soon on this project.
• He also said that operationalisation of Pasighat airport, approval to construct Sela Pass tunnel, approval to Hollongi airport are among major projects for the area.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that government is committed to establishing an efficient and strong network of railways, roads, highways, airways and digital network in the Arunachal Pradesh.
What is BADP?
• Border Area Development Programme (BADP) was started in 1987 in India along with India-Pakistan borders.
• The major objective of BADP is to create infrastructure in border areas and to fulfil special development needs of the area.
• BADP plan was extended for North-Eastern region in 1993-1994 during 8th five-year plan.
• At present BADP is being implemented in all 17 states which share international borders of India with other countries.
• All those 17 states are – Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Manipur and Assam.
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