LEH: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has secured three Jury Special Awards at the 5th Civil Engineering & Construction Review (CE&CR) Annual Awards 2026, with two major infrastructure projects in Ladakh being recognised for excellence in airport development and sustainable road construction.
The awards were presented in New Delhi on August 21, recognising BRO’s contribution to strategic infrastructure, innovative engineering and sustainable construction in some of the country’s most challenging terrains.
The two Ladakh projects honoured at the prestigious awards are the ALG Mudh–Nyoma project in Nyoma, which received the Outstanding Airport Project award, and the Lukung–Chartse Road in Leh, which was recognised under the Sustainable & Green Construction Technology category.
The third Jury Special Award went to Sushmita Rai, Executive Engineer (Civil), who was honoured as an Outstanding Woman Engineer in the Construction Sector. Her recognition highlights the growing contribution of women professionals to India’s infrastructure and construction sector.
The recognition for the ALG Mudh–Nyoma project is particularly significant in the context of Ladakh’s strategic and infrastructure requirements. Located in the Nyoma sector of eastern Ladakh, the project represents BRO’s role in developing critical aviation infrastructure in a remote and strategically important part of the Union Territory.
Construction and development of infrastructure in this region involve formidable challenges, including extreme altitude, harsh weather conditions, rugged terrain and a short working season. The award for the Mudh–Nyoma project acknowledges BRO’s engineering efforts in delivering an airport project under such demanding conditions.
Meanwhile, the Lukung–Chartse Road in Leh has been honoured for Sustainable & Green Construction Technology, placing the spotlight on the importance of environmentally responsible infrastructure development in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
Road construction in Ladakh presents a unique engineering challenge. High altitude, extreme temperature variations, steep and rugged terrain, limited vegetation and the ecological sensitivity of the landscape require construction agencies to adopt approaches that minimise environmental impact while ensuring long-term durability.
The award therefore recognises not simply the creation of a road, but the incorporation of sustainability and green construction practices into infrastructure development in a challenging high-altitude environment.
For Ladakh, where the demand for improved connectivity has to be balanced with the protection of a fragile ecosystem, such recognition assumes particular importance.
The third award to Sushmita Rai, Executive Engineer (Civil), as an Outstanding Woman Engineer in the Construction Sector, adds a professional and human dimension to BRO’s achievement. Her recognition alongside two major infrastructure projects highlights the role of skilled engineers and technical professionals in executing complex projects in difficult operating environments. It also reflects the increasing participation and contribution of women in the traditionally demanding infrastructure and construction sector.
For Ladakh, the significance of the recognition goes beyond the awards themselves. The Mudh–Nyoma airport project and Lukung–Chartse Road represent two different but complementary aspects of infrastructure development in the UT—strategic aviation connectivity and sustainable road connectivity.
BRO has been at the forefront of infrastructure development across Ladakh, constructing and maintaining roads, bridges, airfields and other critical assets in some of the world’s most demanding terrain. Its personnel routinely operate at high altitudes and in extreme climatic conditions to maintain connectivity to remote and strategically important areas.
The CE&CR recognition comes as Ladakh continues to witness a sustained push for strengthening infrastructure and connectivity. With the region’s strategic importance, difficult geography and growing developmental requirements, the ability to construct reliable infrastructure while addressing environmental concerns has become increasingly important.
