Former BRO Director General Lt Gen Harpal Singh Appointed as Advisor for Telangana's Irrigation Projects
Former Director General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Lt Gen Harpal Singh (Retd), has been named as an Advisor to the Government of Telangana, focusing on Irrigation and Command Area Development. His role will involve addressing challenges and speeding up the progress of ongoing irrigation tunnel projects. This advisory position is set for a two-year period, and he will not receive any remuneration.
With over four decades of service in the Indian Army, Lt Gen Harpal Singh is a highly regarded officer known for his expertise in strategic infrastructure. As the Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army and later as DG BRO, he was instrumental in completing major projects, such as the Atal Tunnel under Rohtang Pass, the Theing Tunnel in Sikkim, and the Sela and Nechiphu Tunnels in Arunachal Pradesh, as well as planning various other border tunnels in the Himalayan region.
His extensive experience in designing and managing large-scale civil infrastructure projects renders him an invaluable resource for Telangana. The state government had previously sought his guidance during the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapse in February, where Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy contacted him for assistance in the rescue operations. It is noteworthy that both Lt Gen Singh and Mr. Reddy are alumni of the National Defence Academy (NDA), from the 1979–82 batch.
Beyond his military career, Lt Gen Singh is a trained Civil Engineer and is actively involved with professional bodies. He currently holds notable positions such as President of the International Road Federation, Vice Chairman of the Institution of Civil Engineers (India), and Chairman of the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers.
His appointment is anticipated to boost Telangana’s essential irrigation projects by integrating advanced engineering practices and leveraging his vast experience in defence and civil works.
