Itanagar, Oct 10: To connect the remotest parts of the state, the Arunachal Pradesh government has taken up a major road infrastructure project to connect the “India-Tibet-China-Myanmar” border.
This road, known as the Frontier Highway, will be situated as close as 20 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and international borders.
The road will establish crucial connections to several significant locations, including Tawang, Mago, Upper Subansiri, Upper Siang, Mechuka, Tuting, Dibang Valley, Kibithoo, Changlang, and Dong.
The project is currently being executed through a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies working closely together.
These agencies include the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and various other relevant organisations.
The Frontier Highway will stretch a total length of 1,500 km, with an additional 1,000 km of roads planned to further enhance connectivity in the region.
According to officials, the road will also link up with the under-construction Trans-Arunachal Highway. The two-way national highway adheres to standard trunk route specifications.
The significance of the Frontier Highway project is multifaceted. Once completed, it will have substantial strategic value by improving access to border areas. It will revolutionise road connectivity within the state, mitigating migration from these border regions and fostering development in remote villages.
With this project, Arunachal Pradesh will have three national highways: the Frontier Highway, the East-West Industrial Corridor Highway, and the Trans-Arunachal Highway.
In an effort to enhance connectivity, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has identified six interconnectivity corridors with the aim of linking National Highway-15 in Assam to both the Trans Arunachal Highway (NH-13) and the proposed Frontier Highway (NH-913).
Both the Frontier Highway and the Trans-Arunachal Highway will be beneficial not only for the military, ensuring seamless movement of armed forces and equipment to the border areas, but also for the common populace by significantly improving accessibility and infrastructure in the region.
“This project is significant in terms of the development of the border villages. The frontier highway has a huge strategic value. It will bring transformational changes in road connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh. The project will be beneficial for the Army movement,” said an expert.
