BRO gets more power for strategic India-China border roads

Due to delays in the construction of strategic roads along India and China’s border, the defence ministry has reportedly assigned more financial and administrative authority to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). To ensure accountability of this extra delegated power, an online monitoring software is also in the works. Reports indicate that this move was a result of the Indian Army’s dissatisfaction over the holdup in the development of the project, which then placed a request for the project to pick up steam. Reportedly, the comptroller and auditor general also expressed unhappiness over the delay. The BRO is in charge of the construction of 61 roads totaling a distance of 3,409 km. The government has also conferred power of around Rs 100 crore to the Director General for procurement of Indian and imported construction machinery, who earlier had financial power of Rs 7.5 crore for local equipment and Rs 3 crore for imports. As per reports, BRO’s Chief Engineer could earlier administratively approve contracts of around Rs 10 crore, but can now give approval for contracts upto Rs 50 crore. Similarly, the Additional Director General could sanction projects of up to Rs 20 crore, which is now Rs 75 crore. Additionally, full authority for all instances of revision of equipment norms is with the Director General. Under the earlier policy, these decisions were referred to the defence ministry.