Govt sanctions Rs 6,621 cr for highway in Arunachal amid China’s objections to PM Modi’s visit

The government has sanctioned Rs 6,621 crore for construction of the ambitious frontier highway in Arunachal Pradesh amid a row between India and China over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the state to inaugurate the strategic Sela Tunnel. 

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday that the Centre’s allocation is for the construction of eight packages on National Highway 913 (Frontier Highway), transitioning to an intermediate lane configuration using the EPC mode. The project spans a total length of 265.49 kilometres. 

“Encompassed within this initiative are packages 1, 3 and 5 covering the Huri-Taliha section, two packages addressing the Bile-Migging section, packages 2 and 4 managing the Kharsang-Miao-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar section, and package 1 focusing on the Bomdila-Nafra-Lada section,” the transport minister said.

The allocation of the funds came after China lodged diplomatic protests against PM Modi’s visit to the state to inaugurate the Sela Tunnel, located at 13,000 ft. China that identifies the area as Zangnan said India “illegally set up” Arunachal Pradesh. It said that India has no right to “arbitrarily develop” the Zangnan area. 

India, in a response to China’s protests, said that it rejects China’s comments. India said objecting to such routine visits by the PM to Indian states “does not stand to reason”. “Further, it will not change the reality that the state of Arunachal Pradesh was, is and always will be an integral and inalienable part of India,” the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said.

The frontier highways are expected to enhance connectivity to border areas as well as foster socio-economic growth in the state. Gadkari said that the construction of the frontier highway would reverse migration back to the border areas of the state. 

Gadkari said that these stretches would connect significant river basins, which would also facilitate the development of multiple hydropower projects in Arunacha, as well as create jobs. Uninhabited and sparsely populated areas of Upper Arunachal would be linked through this project and give a boost to tourism.