Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday described the Arunachal Frontier Highway as a “game changer” for the state’s border areas. Speaking at the 39th Statehood Day celebrations in Itanagar, he announced an investment of nearly Rs 42,000 crore into the project, calling it the “highest allocation ever made by the Centre for a single project.”
“The Frontier Highway is going to be the largest road project in the history of India. It is going to be around 1,400 kilometres long, and close to Rs 42,000 crore will be invested. It is going to transform the border areas of the state,” Rijiju said.
The Arunachal Frontier Highway (AFH), officially designated as National Highway NH-913 and also known as the Bomdila-Vijaynagar Highway (BVH), will connect 12 districts along the India-China border. It will begin at Bomdila, pass through Nafra, Huri, and Monigong, and end at Vijaynagar near the India-Myanmar border. Key areas the highway will connect include Tawang, Upper Subansiri, Mechuka, Tuting, Dibang Valley, and Changlang. The project also involves an 800-km greenfield section with new tunnels and bridges.
Expressing concern over potential delays, Rijiju urged the public to avoid inflating compensation claims. “My appeal to the people is, please don’t try to inflate bills to claim compensation. Don’t create obstructions. If a land issue comes up, it will delay projects,” he said, citing delays in the East-West Corridor due to compensation and forest clearance issues.
Governor Lt Gen (Retd) KT Parnaik emphasized the state’s developmental progress while acknowledging existing challenges. He highlighted the importance of education, urging efforts to reduce dropout rates and foster local professionals. He also stressed cleanliness and environmental management, calling for community participation and technological solutions to manage waste.
Addressing the drug menace, Parnaik called for prevention and rehabilitation measures and suggested using satellite imagery to track illicit cultivation.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu clarified that new rules under the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) 1978 are not meant to target any religious group but to safeguard indigenous culture. He also announced that Arunachal Pradesh is expected to generate Rs 10,000 crore annually from free power and equity shares in power projects over the next decade.