Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Director General, Lt. Rajeev Chaudhry, conducted an inspection of the ongoing construction work at an air dispatch unit in Chandigarh on Sunday. This unit, known as the Himank Air Dispatch, is touted as the world's largest 3D printing construction facility. Lt. General Chaudhry emphasized that the Indian government is bolstering strategic assets along the Indo-China border to provide a robust response to China.
Over the past three years, significant construction activities have been undertaken along the Chinese border, with the BRO and other agencies actively engaged in enhancing strategic assets. To date, this has resulted in the construction of 295 roads, bridges, tunnels, and airfields. Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhry noted that at the current pace of strengthening these strategic assets, India is expected to surpass China in the next four to five years.
Regarding the 3D printing construction project in Chandigarh, Lt. General Chaudhry revealed that while it incurs costs that are approximately 5-7% higher than conventional methods, it has substantially reduced construction time by 33%. Notably, the Himank Air Dispatch Unit in Chandigarh was completed within a mere nine months, compared to the 18 to 24 months typically required by conventional means.
Chaudhry underscored that BRO's Himank air dispatch unit facility in Chandigarh exemplifies the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), showcasing the nation's prowess in 3D concrete printing technology and setting a global standard.
Following the completion of the 3D printing project in Chandigarh, the BRO is set to embark on constructing the world's highest 3D construction project in Ladakh, which will house a BRO museum to showcase its accomplishments.
Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhry also highlighted that the BRO is utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to render roads operational. In the past, border regions would remain isolated for six months, but this year, the Zojila pass was opened in just 68 days, thanks to GIS technology facilitating road clearance. Geocells are being employed for slope protection, and this swift mobilization translates to substantial cost savings, estimated at between Rs 350 to 400 crore, according to Chaudhry.
Moreover, Chaudhry revealed that the BRO has overseen the construction of over 60,000 km of roads, with 2,400 km currently maintained through GIS technology installed on bulldozers.
