[ Pisi Zauing ]
ITANAGAR, 18 Oct: High in the misty folds of the eastern Himalayas, a quiet revolution is unfolding – not in grand speeches, but in the hum of bulldozers, the roar of trucks, and the laughter of children who can finally reach school without crossing swollen rivers on foot.
Arunachal Pradesh, once synonymous with distance and isolation, is today writing a new chapter of hope and connection under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
In a heartfelt message shared on social media, Khandu spoke of how the state has achieved a 251% increase in rural road networks and built 3,750 km of national highways – a feat that once seemed impossible in the state’s rugged terrain.
“Arunachal Pradesh is scripting a new chapter in connectivity,” he wrote. “With relentless efforts and visionary planning, we have expanded road infrastructure to even the remotest corners of the state.”
Behind these numbers lies a deeper story – of farmers whose produce now reaches markets before it spoils, of patients who can reach hospitals on time, and of border villagers who no longer feel forgotten by the nation. The Frontier Highways, with over Rs 55,000 crore sanctioned by the Centre, promise not just inter-district connectivity but renewed life for borderlands that once lived in quiet isolation.
For Khandu, roads are not mere stretches of asphalt – they are bridges between hearts. With 12.9% of Arunachal’s total budget devoted to roads and bridges -the highest in India – the state has made connectivity its soul and strength. Under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive State Road Development Plan, Rs 965.99 crore has already been sanctioned, leading to the completion of 393.57 km of roads and 270 new bridges across valleys once divided by distance and despair.
“Roads are the lifelines of Arunachal Pradesh,” Khandu reminds his people. “Every village, every district, every citizen must feel the touch of progress.”
And indeed, they are beginning to. Where once there were only trails now stand highways that shimmer in the sunlight, carrying dreams, trade, and togetherness. As dusk falls over the mountains, the new roads gleam like silver threads, stitching Arunachal’s past to its promise.
This is more than infrastructure. It is Arunachal’s road of dreams – a journey towards unity, pride, and a connected tomorrow.
Indeed, this is not merely road-building – it is nation-building at 10,000 feet.
