Highway to connect Arunachal border distts gets govt nod
Rijiju said the highway, which will pass through 12 districts along the India-China border, is a dream come true and set to be a game changer for the northeastern state.
ITANAGAR: The Union government has approved the construction of the Arunachal Frontier Highway, a massive infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity in border areas, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at the first-ever Joint Mega Nyokum Yullo Celebration in Boasimla, Kamle district, Rijiju said the highway, which will pass through 12 districts along the India-China border, is a dream come true and set to be a game changer for the northeastern state.With an estimated cost of ₹42,000 crore, this is the highest-ever allocation for a single infrastructure project by the Centre, Rijiju added.
The highway, according to Border Roads Organisation, is around 1637-km-long and in some places, it will run as close as 20km to the Line of Actual Control. Its development is in line with the Narendra Modi government’s emphasis on developing border villages, building infrastructure in the North-East, and strengthening infrastructure in border areas so as to facilitate rapid movement of troops.
Rijiju said that while major expressways such as the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Jaipur-Delhi corridor, and Kolkata-Chennai highway were built at a fraction of this cost, the Arunachal Frontier Highway will require unprecedented investment due to its strategic importance and challenging terrain.
The highway will traverse key districts, including East Kameng, Bichom, Kra Daadi, Upper Subansiri, Shi-Yomi, Anjaw, and Changlang, providing crucial road connectivity to remote areas, Rijiju added, and said there were more projects in the pipeline for the state.
The union minister further urged people to support the government’s initiatives, emphasizing Arunachal’s vast hydropower potential. He stated that the Centre, in collaboration with NHPC, is committed to developing the state’s hydropower resources in a balanced and sustainable manner.
Meanwhile, Rijiju lauded Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s presence at the event, calling it a historic moment.
“Boasimla is a small place, located beside the national highway… It will go down in history that the Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has visited Boasimla today,” he said.
Rijiju described the Vice President’s visit as a matter of pride for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, adding, “We can proudly say that the Vice President has joined us in celebrating Nyokum Yullo.”
Vice President Dhankhar in his speech also expressed confidence that Rijiju’s vision of a frontier highway in Arunachal Pradesh would soon be realized.
“Rijiju’s frontier highway dream will soon come true as money has already been allocated,” he said.
Nyokum Yullo is a major festival of the Nyishi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, symbolising prosperity and community harmony.
