[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 19 Mar: One of the busiest highwaystretches in the state – the Hoj-Potin section of the Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH) – will remain closed on 21 and 22 March from 9 am to 5 pm. The road will be open for traffic from 5 pm to 8:50 am the following day.
The office of the Sagalee additional deputy commissioner (ADC) in Papum Pare district informed through a notice that the decision has been taken to facilitate the construction of an RCC bridge at Kalamati point.
The executive engineer of the PWD highway’s Ziro division had sought the closure of the highway as the laying of RCC girders at Kalamati will take place during this period. “The process of launching these girders will require the deployment of heavy-duty cranes, which will occupy both lanes of the highway, making it difficult for other vehicles to pass. Therefore, to ensure the safety of the public, commuters, and workers, a total traffic block will be enforced on the Hoj-Potin section of NH 13 as per the scheduled timings,” the Sagalee ADC informed.
The public has been advised to use the alternative route via Kimin.
The Hoj-Potin road serves as a lifeline for the people of Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, Upper Subansiri, Lower Subansiri, and Keyi Panyor districts. The construction of the bridge at Kalamati has been a long-pending demand of the people who regularly use this stretch.
During the monsoon, this stretch often witnesses road blockages due to landslides. To address this issue, the road transport and highways ministry initiated the construction of the bridge to bypass the existing landslide-prone area.
Another such bridge is under construction at Kann Nallah near Chiputa village. In this stretch as well, heavy water flow during the monsoon makes it extremely dangerous for commuters. In the past, incidents of vehicles being washed away by the surging waters of Kann Nallah have been reported. In 2025, Doimukh MLA Nabam Vivek raised concerns over the slow pace of construction of the bridge over Kann Nallah. The progress of work on both bridges has been slow.
