A commemorative postage stamp on the 25^th Anniversary of the Border Roads Organization (BRO), develops and maintains road networks in India‘s border areas and friendly neighbouring countries :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 10, 1985

Issued for : The Department of Posts is proud to commemorate the silver jubilee of the Border Roads Organisation by issuing this commemorative postage stamp.

Description of Designs : The stamp has been designed by India Security Press, Nashik Road. The First Day Cover shows snow clearance operation by Border Roads Organisation. The cancellation has been designed by Nenu Bagga.

Type : Tete–beche pair of Stamps, Postal Used

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 200 Paise

Type : Triangular Shape

Printing size : 2.75 x 3.75 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Unwatermarked adhesive stamp paper

Number printed : 15,00,000

Printing process : Photogravure

Printed at : India Security Press

About : 

• Till late fifties, road communications in the Northern & North Eastern borders of the country were virtually non-existent. In J&K, Leh was connected with Srinagar with an indifferent Jeepable track. Sikkim had no motorable road beyond Gangtok. There was no semblance of road communication in Bhutan. In NEFA, only fair weather Jeep tracks existed upto Bomdila and Zero. Conditions in Nagaland and Mizo hills were equally unsatisfactory. Annexation of Tibet followed by massive Chinese build up left no option but to construct roads upto India’s traditional borders. Construction of Roads became synonymous with the determination to defend the country of its culture and its way of life. It is with this back drop of grave national emergency and awe inspiring odds that Border Roads Organisation was born and became operational almost overnight.
• On 29 Mar 1960, while addressing the first meeting of Border Roads Development Board, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India announced a special status for BRDB to cut down procedural delays and also laid down top priority for strategic roads in Ladakh and NEFA regions. The new Organisation was to start with Army Engineers forming a nucleus, construct roads with a time bound programme of two years and wind up thereafter. 01 June 1960 was fixed as target date for commencement of work. Before the Chinese operations started, arterial roads of length 1400 miles had been cut at altitudes varying between 5000 to 18000 feet and 132 Border Roads personnel had laid down their lives in the process. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had had its baptism.
• The BRO acquitted itself very well in support of Army both in 1962 and 65 operations and the need to make it permanent was duly recognised. It provided invaluable assistance to Army in 1971 operations also. To this day BRO has won 3 Param Vishishta Seva Medals, 10 Kirti Chakras, 2 Padma Shrees, 21 Ati-Vishishta Seva Medals, 99 Shaurya Chakras, 28 Vishishta Seva Medals and 8 Sena Medals.
• The process of gradual expansion, diversification and consolidation continued after 1971 operations. By Nov. 1983, the number of Projects under BRO had increased to 12 from the initial two in June 1960. Some of the finest constructions in the country in the remote border areas is credited to BRO including Tengavalley Complex for Army, 250 beds Army hospital in Ladakh and complex for Manipur Police and Assam Rifles. Indo Bhutan micro-wave link, prestigious India house complex and airfield at Paro in Bhutan have also been constructed by BRO. It has also made a mark on the international scene by exporting its technical expertise to West Asian Countries through IRCC Ltd.
• BRO, today, has a permanent role in defence of the country and speedy economic development of inaccessible border area epitomising national integration. It stands out as a premier road construction agency of the country producing a network of 500 k.m. of well finished roads every year, besides maintenance of some 16000 k.m. of surfaced and unsurfaced roads. 18000 k.m. of roads to progress constructed in remote, climatically inhospitable, barren, rocky and snow bound areas are a saga of cold courage, sheer determination and tremendous dedication.
• (Text Courtesy: D.G. Border Roads).

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