BRO expedites Munsiyari-Milam Road in Uttarakhand

The Border Road Organization has fast-tracked the 65 km long Munsiyari-Milam road in Uttarakhand and it will probably be completed by the end of 2023. Director, Lt. General BRO, Rajiv Chaudhari informed that when the project was launched in 2012 it was targeted to be completed in 2015 but got delayed and the timeline was extended up to 2021. Work has been completed by the construction agency on a 25-km-long stretch of the road from Munsiyari side but around 15-kilometre- long stretch after that consists of hard rock, slowing the work progress. According to the BRO chief engineer and in charge of the project MNV Prasad, work on this high-altitude road was to be completed this year but making way through hard rock is posing a big challenge during construction. During the winter season, sub-zero temperatures coupled with the Covid-19 lockdown have further delayed work on the project. They are facing hard rocks at Mapang, Laspa, Bugdiyar, and Nahardevi and are working hard to cut through them. The work on a 9 km long stretch from the Milam side is complete and the 15-km long stretch consisting of hard rock is the trickiest. Also, the blacktopping of a 16 km long portion of the road from Munsiyari side has started as well and once the black topping work is completed on this portion, vehicles would be able to zoom on this stretch, benefiting local villagers and tourists alike also after its completion it would be easy to reach the last security posts that are located at the Indo-China border in Johar Valley by vehicles.