[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 7 Apr: In a major setback to the PWD Highway in the state, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has appointed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) as executing agencies for the ambitious Frontier Highway project in Arunachal Pradesh.
The PWD Highway had been part of the project from the planning stage and was even involved in preparing the DPR by assisting agencies appointed by the MoRTH.
However, while recently awarding works to successful bidders, the ministry designated NHIDCL and BRO as executing agencies, much to the surprise and shock of the state PWD Highway.
“NHIDCL has been given charge of the eastern Arunachal section of the Frontier Highway, while BRO has been assigned the western Arunachal section. PWD has been completely sidelined,” said a senior PWD Highway official.
The department has raised the matter with Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Members of Parliament from the state. “Right from the planning stage, we have played an important role in this project. By handing over the project to BRO and NHIDCL, our contribution has been completely ignored,” the official added.
Although the MoRTH has not cited any specific reason for the move, many believe the decision was influenced by the controversy over land compensation related to the Lada-Sarli section of the Frontier Highway.
“The land compensation scam in the Lada to Sarli (Package I to V) stretch in East Kameng district has worried the MoRTH. Therefore, they seem to have decided to hand over the project to BRO and NHIDCL to enable direct monitoring from Delhi,” said activist and whistleblower advocate Sunday Bagang.
The Frontier Highway project is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 42,000 crore. In March this year, the MoRTH issued bid acceptance letters to several firms that won tenders for its construction. It is one of the country’s largest road infrastructure projects.
The ambitious project has a targeted completion year of 2027, but has yet to commence and has been mired in land compensation controversies. The scam is currently being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which has made several arrests in connection with the case. Former East Kameng deputy commissioner Himanshu Nigam has also been suspended from service, along with several other officials allegedly involved in the scam.
The Frontier Highway, officially designated as National Highway 913, will originate from Mago-Thingbu in Tawang district and extend to Vijaynagar in Changlang district, passing through all border districts, including East and West Kameng, the two Dibang Valley districts, Anjaw, and Shi-Yomi. Running along the Indo-Tibet border, the highway will be the closest to the Line of Actual Control. Once completed, it will serve as a crucial connectivity lifeline for the border districts.
