Project Dantak

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Project DANTAK (DANTAK) is an Indian project run by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under the Ministry of Defence. It started on 24 April 1961 after an Indo-Bhutan treaty agreement between Bhutan’s king Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The first Chief Engineer was Colonel T. V. Jaganathan.

Purpose
- DANTAK identifies important connectivity needs and builds and maintains roads in Bhutan and nearby Indian districts to help development. It also works on related infrastructure.

Size and leadership
- About 1200+ personnel (Indian officials) work under DANTAK.
- It is part of the Indian Armed Forces and the BRO.
- Headquarters: Simtokha, Thimphu, Bhutan.
- Current leadership: Director General Lt. Gen. Raghu Srinivasan; Chief Engineer Brigadier Rohit Gupta.
- Motto: Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam.
- Anniversaries: Raising Day on 24 April; BRO Day on 7 May.

What it does
- Builds and maintains motorable roads in Bhutan and in adjoining Indian districts.
- Important roads include Sherbathang–Nathu La, Gangtok–Sherbathang, and Sevoke–Gangtok.
- It has helped establish medical and education facilities in remote areas.

People and places
- DANTAK hires local Bhutanese and Indian workers from nearby districts such as Jaigaon and Alipurduar. Indian officials supervise the work.
- Takthi Canteen, a major stop between Phuentsholing and Thimphu, is well known.

Recent and notable events
- In 2022, about 4.5 km of the Phuentsholing–Thimphu Road was resurfaced using shredded plastic to test recycled-plastic road construction.
- There was a controversy when Indian tricolour-themed reflectors were installed on highway railings; DANTAK said no sanction was given and laborers had installed them by mistake; the matter was clarified afterward.
- A 204-meter bridge in Haa on the Damchu–Haa road collapsed in February 2021, killing three workers and leaving six missing. The bridge was awaiting load testing and the project work faced safety challenges.