Defence Ministry approves ‘BRO cafes’ in border areas

Tags: National News

The Defence Ministry has approved setting up of facilities under the brand 'BRO Cafe' at 75 locations on various roads with Border Roads Organization (BRO) in 12 states and union territories.

• Its purpose is to provide basic amenities to tourists and to encourage economic activities in the border areas.

• These roadside establishments will be known as 'BRO Cafe'.

• It is proposed to provide parking for vehicles, food plazas, restaurants, separate public facilities for women, men and differently abled, first aid facilities etc. in these cafes.

• For this, the agreement will be for 15 years which can be extended for five more years later.

• This scheme will be done in collaboration with agencies on a licence basis.

• The agencies will build and operate BRO Cafe as per the guidelines given by the BRO.

• This will speed up the development of tourism as well as traffic in the border areas.

• For this, approval has been given in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

• Border Roads Organization (BRO)

• It functions under the control of the Ministry of Defence since 2015.

• The Organisation was established on May 7, 1960.

• It is responsible for maintaining the road networks in the border areas of India.

• This organization plays an important role in the infrastructure development of the border areas of the country. 

• One of the biggest infrastructural achievements of BRO is the construction of the longest highway tunnel, The Atal Tunnel  in Himachal Pradesh. 

• Director General Border Roads Organisation - Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry