Rajnath Singh inaugurates 44 bridges across 7 states and UTs

New Delhi: At a time when the nation is going through various problems caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, its neighbouring countries Pakistan and China are creating disputes at around seven thousand kilometers of the shared borders as part of a mission, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday.

"Today, our country is facing several problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, be it in the farm sector or the economy, industries or national security, everything has been impacted by this. You must be aware of the situation created at our northern and eastern borders," Singh said while addressing an event through video conferencing.

The Defence Minister was inaugurating 44 bridges made by the Border Road Organisation across seven States and Union Territories in an event through video conferencing.

"First Pakistan, and now China, it appears disputes are being created by them as part of a mission. We share around seven thousand kilometers of border with these countries. The country, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is not only facing the crisis with determination but is also bringing big and historic changes in many fields," Singh said.

"The recently inaugurated Atal Tunnel is a live example of this. The construction of such a tunnel is amazing and unprecedented not only in India but the history of the entire world. This tunnel will add a new chapter to our national security and the betterment of the lives of the people of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," he added.

The Atal Tunnel, at 9.02 km is the longest highway tunnel in the world, connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti Valley and will ensure movement throughout the year. Earlier, the Valley was cut off for about six months each year owing to heavy snowfall.

Singh said that the construction of these bridges will facilitate military and civil transport in our western, northern and northeast areas. "Our armed forces personnel are deployed in large numbers in areas where transport is not available throughout the year," he said.