In a demonstration of engineering resilience under extreme conditions, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel from 116 Road Construction Company under 48 Task Force of Project Udayak have restored the 800-plus-foot Karoti Bridge over the fast-flowing Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district. The vital structure, damaged by an overloaded tipper, serves as a key lifeline connecting remote border villages, including Kaho near the Line of Actual Control, to the rest of the district.
Keywords: Karoti Bridge, Arunachal Pradesh,, BRO, Project Udayak, Lohit River, bridge repair, Border Roads Organisation, Indian border infrastructure, Anjaw district connectivity, China, India, Indian Army
Working in high-risk conditions amid the river’s strong currents and challenging terrain, the BRO team first stabilised the damaged section and safely extricated the stranded tipper. Essential restoration works followed, enabling the bridge to be cleared for light vehicular traffic. Director General Border Roads (DGBR) has appreciated the dedication and professional commitment of Lt Col APS Negi, Capt Mayank Joshi, Capt Shubham M Nesaragi, Equipment Mech Devendra Kumar and MT Driver Sukhjeet Singh. The effort embodies the organisation’s guiding principles of “Ingenuity-Experience-Precision” and the motto “Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam”.
The incident underscores a recurring challenge along India’s frontiers: overloaded vehicles repeatedly stressing limited-capacity Bailey bridges in remote areas. Earlier in September 2026, reports had already flagged the Krowti (Karoti) bridge as being on the verge of collapse due to sustained heavy traffic, prompting temporary restrictions. Similar pressures have tested BRO units elsewhere. In recent years, Project Arunank teams restored the Kimin-Potin road in just 36 hours after monsoon-triggered landslides and flash floods, while other formations rapidly launched Bailey bridges in Kurung Kumey and other sectors under relentless rain and unstable slopes.
Beyond pure military logistics, these interventions keep essential connectivity alive where geography, weather and security constraints render civilian machinery ineffective. Project Udayak, responsible for strategic roads and bridges across eastern Arunachal’s Anjaw, Lohit and adjoining districts, routinely operates in such environments to sustain both troop mobility and civilian access under the Vibrant Villages and border infrastructure initiatives.
The rapid restoration of the Karoti Bridge reaffirms BRO’s dual role: fortifying national security while ensuring that life continues in India’s most isolated border regions. In terrains where the ordinary ends, the organisation’s specialised engineering capability begins.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.