About Border Roads Organisation (BRO):
- It is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to the Indian Armed Forces.
- BRO was entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
- Establishment: It was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India’s borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and northeastern states of the country.
- It 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 (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka.
- BRO specialises in constructing and maintaining Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, Airfields and Marine Works across some of the world’s most challenging terrains.
- The BRO also has an operational role during national emergencies and the outbreak of hostilities, when it provides direct support to the Army in the maintenance of roads in the forward zones and executes other functions specified by the government.
- It also provides the workforce for the rehabilitation of certain forward airfields of the Indian Air Force during operations.
- BRO is also included in the Order of Battle of the Armed Forces, ensuring their support at any time.
- In order 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 the Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.
- The executive head of the BRO is the Director General of Border Roads (DGBR), who holds the rank of Lieutenant General.
- Officers and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the BRO.
- It is also staffed by officers and troops drawn from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers on extra-regimental employment (on deputation).
- Motto: Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam (everything is achievable through hard work).
