During the recent seminar organised by the Indian Roads Congress in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh public works department, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein spoke on two very important issues. First, he stressed the need for constructing quality roads, and secondly, the need for formulating a maintenance policy for the roads constructed. It is good to hear the DCM, the second most powerful minister in the state after Chief Minister Pema Khandu, speak about important subjects like quality roads and maintenance issues. The biggest disservice the engineers of the state have done to the people of Arunachal is by constructing poor quality roads.
Whether it is a national highway, PMGSY, township, or village road, the most pressing concern of the citizens is quality roads. Poorly constructed roads do not last long. Arunachal witnesses heavy rainfall during summer and the majority of the roads get damaged during the monsoon season. Some of the newly constructed roads do not last even for one season, raising serious question mark over the intention of the engineers and the contractors. The engineers are supposed to check the quality, but they miserably fail to perform their task. Another issue on which the DCM spoke is the need for a maintenance policy. There is an urgent need for a maintenance policy in the state. It is seen that, after constructing roads, the government does not maintain the roads. The lack of maintenance is another factor in the destruction of roads in the state. DCM Chowna Mein has hit the right button by speaking about the need for a quality road and maintenance policy at a very important event. Hope he will now push for a maintenance policy and also work out a mechanism to ensure that quality roads are constructed in the state.