- DC holds meet on land acquisition
By Pradeep Kumar
ITANAGAR, May 04: India has expedited construction of roads to border areas by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) with Indo-China bilateral relations taking a nose dive after violent clashes among army soldiers of both nations on 05.05.20 in Pangong Lake area in eastern Ladakh leading to border standoff.
Moreover, the Centre has attached too priority to construction of ambitious 1,748 km-long two-lane paved-shoulder Arunachal Frontier Highway (AFH) or Bomdila-Vijaynagar Highway (BVH),notified as NH-913 that would connect Bomdila airstrip (ALG) in northwest to Vijaynagar airstrip (ALG) in southeast via Nafra, Sarli, Huri (ALG), Nacho, Mechuka (ALG), Monigong, Jido (Tuting ALG), Hunli, Hayuliang (ALG), Chenquenty, Hawai, Miao, Kharsang, along Indo-China border. including 800-km Greenfield section and network of new tunnels & bridges.
The under-construction AFH along Indo-China Line of Actual Control (MacMahon Line) on completion at an estimated cost of is ₹40,000 would facilitate speedy movement of Army and security forces with heavy arms and weapons to the border as and when required.
That is why BRO Director General Lt. Gen. Raghu Srinivasan, during his recent four-day visit to border areas of this state to inspect ongoing projects of Project Brahmank headed by A K Mishra chief engineer, had committed to complete the 200-km stretch of AFH on time.
Meanwhile, Changlang DC Vishal Sah had a crucial initial hearing recentluy regarding land acquisition for construction of 161-km Kharsang-Miao-Vijaynagar stretch of AFH. The meeting was attended by land owners, local representatives, GBs, land-acquiring agencies and members of survey assessment of affected assets.
Responding to apprehensions raised by the public, Sah had assured to compensate for loss of affected fixed assets and standing crops as per the laid down guidelines, which offers fixed rates for loss of land and different types of standing cash crops.
Announcing that the survey would be completed within stipulated ne month, the DC had informed that Section 40 of Urgency Clause has been invoked for timely and hassle-free completion of the project and sought their cooperation to ensure successful completion of survey and installation of mileposts.
Union Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has allocated a whopping Rs 1,014.59 crore for construction of Kharsang-Miao-Vijaynagar stretch under Miao subdivision of the district, he disclsied
This transformative and vital AFH project to be developed in the EPC mode promises to boost connectivity in border areas and foster socio-economic development. It also aims to provide a swift communication network for security forces, encourage reverse migration towards vibrant border areas, connect significant river basins, facilitates development of numerous hydropower projects and promote tourism in the pristine, sparsely populated international borders.
This AFH in the north & east pf Arunachal along the China border, would complement Trans=Arunachal Highway in the middle and Arunachal East-West Corridor in the southl in foothills along the Assam boundary would serve as major highways spanning the whole state, pursuing Look East Policy.
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