Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday has divulged that survey and investigation of the 2000 km long Arunachal Frontier Highway (AFH) along Indo-China border has been completed and work for the project will not take long to commence. This is a very big news indeed for Arunachal Pradesh since it has been more than five years since the idea was first conceived and people came to know about it. Viewing things strictly in the light of socio-economic developmental benefits the project would usher, it’s true that the state is going to get a solid and permanent asset. But, it is also necessary to keep in mind the fact that the nation as a whole is also in great need of having this highway, as it would serve the grave purpose of reinforcing security aspects and do to a great extent in balancing the geo-political equation in the subcontinent where China is the indisputable and formidable antagonist for India. AFH is thus a national compulsion and hence must be viewed as an extraordinary assignment which must be made as much free from ‘stumbling blocks’, a customary companion to roads projects that come up in Arunachal.

Even a cursory glance over the map of the proposed highway will be enough to have an understanding of the enormity of the project. It will practically join the state’s east-west ends or the converse if viewed so, as if with a single thread in a seamless way, with Vijoynagar in Changlang in east and Mago-Thingbu in Tawang in west, touching numerous locations in between. Volume of finance involved is mind-boggling since it is going to be the biggest single infrastructure project in India so far with an estimated cost of more than Rs 40,000 crore. And for a layman even it will not be difficult to comprehend the technical challenge involved since large stretches will pass through rugged, hostile and snow-fed terrain. But once completed fully, the highway will mitigate a long-standing necessity of establishing connectivity, for want of which, so many dreams of economic progress of Arunachal has failed to materialize. Without doubt, it’s going to be the best friend for farmers whose aspirations haven’t got converted to desired levels of financial satisfaction, just due to inability of reaching markets, all due to little or no connectivity. From defence angle where consolidation of forces with blazing speed is an essential part of modern warfare, a practical necessity is thus going to be met at last.

To make the entire process smooth and less hitch-ridden, a logical idea must be in taking lessons from all that has happened with the Trans Arunachal Highway episode. Centre and Arunachal must accept the challenge in tandem and complete the dream project within deadline.

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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

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