Jammu: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday released a new Border Roads Organisation (BRO) manual designed to streamline the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for road infrastructure projects, a move expected to significantly strengthen strategic connectivity in border regions including Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The guide, titled “Guide on Preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Road Infrastructure Projects”, was unveiled at South Block in New Delhi. Officials said the manual would help improve planning standards, construction quality and timely execution of roads and bridges in difficult and high-altitude terrains.
The BRO, which is tasked with building and maintaining highways and strategic roads along the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control, plays a critical role in ensuring all-weather connectivity to forward areas in J&K, Ladakh and other border states.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the guide provides a uniform and comprehensive reference for engineers, covering specifications, standards, procedures and best practices for DPR preparation. It applies to both new road construction projects and the upgradation of existing infrastructure.
The ministry said inadequately prepared DPRs have often led to time and cost overruns. The new manual is expected to enhance the quality and consistency of project reports, ensuring smoother execution and faster completion of strategic road works.
Officials noted that improved DPRs would translate into better logistics movement for the armed forces, enhanced disaster response capabilities and increased socio-economic development in remote border regions such as Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Road Transport and Highways) V. Umashankar, Director General Border Roads Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan, and other senior civil and military officials were present at the release ceremony.
Earlier this month, Rajnath Singh had dedicated 125 BRO infrastructure projects to the nation, many of them located in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. These projects—comprising 28 roads, 93 bridges and four other works—were completed at a cost of around ₹5,000 crore and are critical for ensuring all-weather connectivity to strategic and forward areas.
The Defence Minister has repeatedly stressed that robust border infrastructure is vital not only for national security but also for economic growth, tourism, disaster management and strengthening public confidence in governance, particularly in remote regions like J&K and Ladakh.
