The work at the Frontier Highway is expected to generate employment, and will check Chinese incursions into the Indian territory. (Representational Photo/ News18)
Rs 17,000 crore that has been approved by the government for several road works along the Frontier Highway in Arunchal Pradesh promises enhanced connectivity to border areas
Pushing one of its flagship projects before the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls, the government has allocated a massive sum of over Rs 17,000 crore for various stretches of the Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh since February 6. Close to Rs 13,350 crore was allocated in the last 12 days alone, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways data analysed by News18.
The Frontier Highway, termed as National Highway-913, is a 1,700 km highway passing through uninhabited or sparsely-populated areas of Arunachal Pradesh. It will have an 800 km greenfield section apart from new tunnels and bridges along the India-China border. The highway will also ease the movement of the defence forces and their supplies.
These highway stretches hold promise for enhanced connectivity to border areas. It is critical not just for socio-economic growth in the region but also a measure to curb migration and facilitate reverse migration towards the border areas of the state.
It will start from Bomdila and pass through Nafra, Huri, and Monigong. At some points, the road is very close to the LAC – less than 20 km from the international borders. The road will end in Vijaynagar – near the India-Myanmar border.
The highway, expected to be completed by 2027, will link some of the important locations in the state – Tawang, Mechuka, Tuting, Kibithoo, and Dong. Its total cost is expected to be around Rs 40,000 crore.
In the last few weeks, the ministry has sanctioned funds for over 770 km of this highway.
On Tuesday, the ministry allocated Rs 6,621.62 crore for the 265.49 km section of the highway for the construction of eight packages transitioning to an intermediate lane configuration.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the funds were allocated for the six packages ranging for Huri-Taliha section, Bile-Migging section, Kharsang-Maio-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar section, and Bomdila-Nafra-Lada section.
Gadkari said these stretches play a vital role in establishing essential road infrastructure connecting significant river basins, thereby enabling the development of numerous Hydropower projects within the state.
“This predominantly greenfield road is designed to link uninhabited and sparsely populated areas of upper Arunachal, making it conducive to tourism and anticipating a substantial increase in traffic due to heightened tourism activities in the future,” the minister added.
On February 29, the ministry allocated Rs 6,728.33 crore for constructing eight stretches on NH-913 as intermediate lane road, spanning 305.50 km.
On February 6, the ministry approved around Rs 3,891 crore in three parts for the highway, including Rs 1,014.59 crore for the construction of the 61.55 km Kharsang-Miao-Vijaynagar–Gandhigram section of the Frontier Highway.
The same day, the ministry approved Rs 2,248.94 crore for the construction of 105.59 km Lada-Sarli section of NH-913. It also sanctioned Rs 626.92 crore for the 35 km Sarli-Huri section of the Frontier Highway.
The work at the highway is expected to generate employment and will check Chinese incursions into the Indian territory, the ministry said. The highway will help in making mobilisation of security forces around the border faster and more seamless.
