New Delhi: Demonstrating the government’s commitment to bolstering connectivity in border regions, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has earmarked approximately Rs 6,000 crore for 11 distinct packages constituting the strategic Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh. This highway is set to traverse close to the India-Tibet-China-Myanmar border.
Commencing this April, work on this 1,748 km two-lane highway will be initiated, with certain segments being just 20 km away from the international border.
A senior official from the road transport ministry stated that three agencies—the state public works department, the Border Road Organisation, and the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation—will undertake the construction. “The project will be implemented in phases. We aim to tender out nearly 400 km of this extensive road project in Arunachal Pradesh and the entire North East by the end of this financial year, creating numerous employment opportunities for locals,” the official remarked.
Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, in announcing the allocation of funds for two packages of the Frontier Highway, emphasized, “The strategic development of this road is geared towards enhancing connectivity to the border regions, thereby fostering economic growth in the area. Construction of the Frontier Highway is expected to mitigate migration and facilitate reverse migration towards the border regions of Arunachal Pradesh.”
Sources indicate that given the greenfield stretch traverses through uninhabited or sparsely-populated areas of upper Arunachal Pradesh, two-lane highways will suffice to meet traffic demands and the strategic movement requirements of defense forces. Gadkari also highlighted that the road infrastructure will link critical river basins and facilitate the development of numerous hydropower projects in the state.
