If there has been one thing consistent about the Miao-Vijaynagar (MV) road in Changlang district, it is that for most of the year, the road is not motorable. The causes are many, but rainfall and landslides are often blamed.
The MV road connects Vijaynagar with the rest of the state, but its condition is so poor that the border circle has remained cut off for weeks since landslides hit the road in May at no fewer than five stretches.
The MV road, which falls under the Public Works Department (Highway Division), Jairampur, links several villages in the circle. These villages are now facing serious difficulties in accessing healthcare and other essential services. Schools have reopened, and it is likely that children are stranded on either side of the damaged stretches.
The contract for the repair and maintenance of the Namchik-Miao-Vijaynagar road has been awarded to M/s Aakashya Infra Project Private Limited, a Kolkata-based firm, which should at least begin clearance work soon. The monsoon is a critical time for a border state like Arunachal, where most facilities are concentrated in urban areas. Therefore, every effort must be made to ease the burden on citizens during this time.