Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the setting up of wayside amenities with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), to be branded as ‘BRO Cafes’, at 75 locations in 12 States and Union Territories on different sections of roads.
What is the scheme?
- The scheme provides for wayside amenities in public-private partnership mode with agencies, on a licence basis, which will design, build and operate the facility as per guidelines of the BRO.
- Proposed amenities include parking for two and four wheelers, food plaza, restaurant, separate rest rooms for men, women and differently abled, and first aid facilities, among others.
- Selection of licences will be done through a competitive process.
- These are intended to provide basic amenities and comfort to tourists and lead to boosting of economic activities in border areas, besides generating employment for the local people.
About BRO –
- Functioning under the control of the Ministry of Defence since 2015 (earlier functioning under the Ministry of Road, Transports and Highways).
- The BRO is engaged in road construction to provide connectivity to difficult and inaccessible regions in the border areas of the country.
- It is staffed by officers and troops drawn from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Military Police and army personnel on extra regimental employment.
- Engineering Service and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the Border Roads Organisation.
- Currently, the organisation maintains operations in twenty-one states, one UT (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
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