Tanakpur (Uttarakhand) [India], February 14 (ANI): Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Project HIRAK will celebrate its 46th Raising Day on Sunday at Tanakpur, Uttarakhand, marking over four decades of dedicated service in some of the most strategically sensitive and geographically challenging regions of the country.

Since its raising on 15 February 1980, the Project has played a pivotal role in transforming remote and inaccessible terrains into vital corridors of connectivity, contributing significantly to national security and socio-economic development.

Initially raised as a Special Task Force (STF) for the construction of link roads in the coalfields of Dhanbad under Bharat Coking Coal Limited, the Headquarters later shifted to Nagpur in April 1998 for works in Gadchiroli and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra. In February 2011, STF HIRAK moved to Champawat, Uttarakhand and subsequently relocated its Headquarters to Tanakpur on 11 November 2012, an official release stated.

On 15 February 2022, it was upgraded to a full-scale Project as Chief Engineer (Project) HIRAK. In the Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand, Project HIRAK achieved a historic milestone during the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2025 (05 July - 18 August 2025), when, for the first time, pilgrims were able to travel by vehicle up to 500 metres short of Lipulekh Pass. Despite heavy monsoon conditions and frequent landslides, the Project ensured safe and seamless pilgrimage movement through continuous road maintenance and upgradation efforts.

The release noted that major thrust continues on the upgradation of the strategically significant Tawaghat-Gunji-Lipulekh axis to National Highway Double Lane (NHDL) specifications, strengthening high-altitude mobility in the Central Sector. Additionally, the Gunji-Kutti-Jollingkong Road was completed in December 2024, improving connectivity to the border villages of Vyas Valley and providing access to the sacred Adi Kailash Shrine.

This infrastructure development has significantly bolstered the operational capability of the Defence and Paramilitary Forces while promoting socio-economic growth in border areas. In the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas of Chhattisgarh, Project Hirak has undertaken challenging work deep inside the Bastar region. Demonstrating exceptional dedication under the motto 'Shramen Sarvam Sadhyam' (Hard work makes every challenge achievable.

Presently, Project HIRAK has been entrusted with the task of construction of a total of 129 kms of road and more than 13 bridges across the notorious rivers and nallahs. The arduous task falls within the jurisdiction of primarily Bijapur, Sukma, Konta and Naryanapur ranges, where every single move of the agency is coordinated and monitored for its actions.

On its 46th Raising Day, Project HIRAK will reaffirm its unwavering commitment to nation-building, operational preparedness and inclusive development in border and insurgency-affected regions. Through resilience, professionalism and engineering excellence, the Project continues to strengthen India's strategic infrastructure and bring remote regions closer to the national mainstream, the release emphasised. (ANI)