Argus News - BRO’s Engineering Marvel Stuns Odisha Media Delegation

Manali, Mar 25: A Media delegation from Odisha, led by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), visited Project Yojak of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) near Manali, gaining firsthand insight into the organization’s extraordinary achievements in high-altitude infrastructure development.

The delegation received a comprehensive briefing on BRO’s cutting-edge initiatives, underscoring its commitment to strengthening border infrastructure and ensuring reliable all-weather connectivity to remote Himalayan regions.

Project Yojak, established after the completion of the iconic Atal Tunnel, is tasked with maintaining the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet while executing new strategic projects. BRO officers highlighted the relentless efforts of personnel who work in extreme conditions - snowstorms, sub-zero temperatures as low as -30°C, and rugged Himalayan terrain - to keep the Manali-Keylong-Leh axis open year-round.

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A major focus of the project is the Nimmu-Padum-Darcha (NPD) axis, which includes the upcoming Shinku La Tunnel, expected to be 4-5 km long. Once completed, this tunnel will provide a third all-weather route to Ladakh via Zanskar Valley, ending the seasonal isolation of Lahaul-Spiti and boosting strategic connectivity, tourism, and the local economy.

The delegation was also briefed on BRO’s swift responses during recent weather challenges. In March 2026, heavy snowfall near the Atal Tunnel South Portal stranded over 200 vehicles.

BRO teams, working with police and local administration, launched a rapid rescue operation and evacuated nearly all vehicles within 12 hours. Similarly, during a flash flood last year that damaged the Manali-Keylong highway, BRO engineers restored the critical stretch in less than 12 hours, minimizing disruption on the vital axis.

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The visit concluded with a tour of the Atal Tunnel, where journalists witnessed the dedication of BRO personnel working in harsh conditions. Project Yojak continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening border infrastructure and ensuring reliable all-weather access to remote Himalayan regions, embodying BRO’s motto: Connect, Construct, Transform.