Indian Army hails MES for ensuring uninterrupted services during COVID on 99th Raising Day

On the occasion of the 99th Military Engineer Services Raising Day, Indian Army officials informed that Military Engineer Services (MES) played a major role in creating and modifying structures that were used as COVID-care facilities across military stations in the country. Indian Army officials said that the structures ensured uninterrupted essential services for defence personnel during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MES, established in 1923 and has now completed 99 years of unprecedented service. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the organisation on its 99th Raising Day, in a tweet stating, "The MES provides rear line engineering support to the Armed Forces. Their contribution in building and safeguarding the nation is highly appreciable."

Annual workload of MES approximately Rs 30,000 crore

The MES is a construction agency of the Indian Army and it provides the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence with rear line engineering support. The MES is one of the biggest constructions and maintenance agencies in India and has an annual workload of approximately Rs 30,000 crore.

Highlighting the importance of MES, an army official said, “This year the world witnessed an unprecedented crisis in terms of COVID-19 affecting the construction industry and the MES was also not left untouched. However, laudatory efforts put in by the MES ensured 'Uninterrupted Essential Services' in all military stations. The MES has also played a key role in creating and modifying existing assets into COVID care facilities across the country in the stipulated timeframe."

The MES and its use of Solar Power

The MES also built a hospital in Pune for defence personnel and equipped them with the latest infrastructure and medical facilities. The hospital was inaugurated in January.

In their latest initiative, MES has been working to reduce electrical payments from their expenditure by investing in Solar Power projects. An official said, "LED-isation and GRIHA green building norms, MES is totally committed towards energy conservation and ecosystem preservation. A major drive has also been undertaken to automate various functions of the MES which will not only cut down the time delays but also transform works environment by unlocking latent productivity, foster transparency and efficiency.” Engineer-in-Chief Lt Gen Harpal Singh also congratulated all the Military Engineer Services personnel on the 99th Military Engineer Services Raising Day.

(With inputs from ANI)