The stage is set, with Indira Gandhi Park as the main venue, decked up for the prime minister’s visit. Worn-out, dilapidated roads have been spruced up in parts of the town in preparation for his arrival. The PM is scheduled to visit Arunachal Pradesh, where he will lay the foundation stones for several projects, including the Frontier Highway Project, on 21 September.
The highway project, spanning 1,830 km, will run parallel to the McMahon Line, covering areas from Bomdila (West Kameng district) to Vijaynagar (Changlang district). The prime minister will inaugurate the 186-mw Tato-I hydroelectric project and the 240-mw Heo hydroelectric project, both located on the Yarjep river in Shi-Yomi district. He will also launch the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme, aimed at the development of border villages.
Under the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme, 122 villages in strategic border areas will receive all-weather roads, telecom connectivity, and electrification. Of these, 67 villages are located along the India-Myanmar border and 55 along the India-Bhutan border.
While there does not appear to be any urgent reason for the prime minister’s visit, the laying of foundations for two significant hydropower plants and a strategic border road indicates otherwise. Both the Centre and the state government have been focused on the hydropower sector and infrastructure development in the region, particularly in border areas. This visit is therefore seen as a reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to infrastructure development in the state.
It is also worth noting that China has begun its own hydropower activities in Tibet and has only recently re-engaged with India. While the interactions between the two untrusting neighbours remain cautious and calculated, this visit will be watched with keen interest. As has often been the case during high-profile visits, some verbal exchange may follow – something that has become almost routine.