28th Feb 2018 10:02:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

March 1, will be another momentous occasion in the field of communication in the frontier state. Arunachal Express which will be flagged off on March 1, will connect Naharlagun-Delhi in about 36 hours twice a week. Imagine the convenience this will bring to scores of commuters especially students and patients making a bee-line for the national capital.

Facing acute challenges in connectivity for decades, communication bottleneck has arrested the development graph of Arunachal. Even to this day surface communication has seen little progress.   However, the coming of the railways has been the turning point.

Despite the initial apprehensions, people have since taken to railways as a preferred choice of travel. Since the first train forayed into the state in 2014, citizens have experienced the comfort and convenience of rail connectivity. The intercity service ‘Donyi-Polo Express’ plying from Naharlagun-Guwahati has become a hit with passengers who earlier had to endure the uncomfortable overnight bus travel in cramped up spaces at a lower price.

A report by World Economic Forum in 2015 cited Indian Railways as the 8th in the list of world’s biggest employers. With more trains coming to Arunachal, there is indeed expectation that local unemployed youths and engineering graduates will find employment. Currently over 16 lakh persons are depending upon railways for their livelihood as it provides greater employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled labour.

Connectivity—air and surface in the frontier state has been the core of attention ever since the BJP-led NDA government came to power at the Centre. While sceptics may question if the media blitzkrieg has actually resulted in any real result on the ground, the fact is, ordinary citizens who have been at the receiving end of the pathetic communication have not much to complain. Finally, at least it is gaining some traction as opposed to the times when the non-existent communication didn’t even qualify as a fit enough case to be addressed.


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List