Arunachal Pradesh Frontier Highway: Clearing hurdles on road to 2029 target
India's Arunachal Frontier Highway project is now on track for construction. This strategic road aims to boost connectivity along the Chinese border. Land acquisition issues and compensation disputes have been largely resolved. The project completion deadline is set for the year 2029. This highway will facilitate rapid movement of defence forces in the region.
New Delhi: Infrastructure development in border areas, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, is a top priority for the central government. The 1,824-kilometer Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH 913), which runs along the McMahon Line, is a strategic project aiming for completion by 2029. Despite past hiccups such as land acquisition disputes, compensation scams, and senior official suspensions, the highway is now on track, with hurdles largely cleared.
The 125-kilometer Lada to Sarli high-altitude highway alignment in East Kameng district has been a major pain point, previously delayed due to controversy over land acquisition, compensation computation, and allegations of fund misappropriation. However, a recent administrative overhaul and the establishment of an independent ground verification committee have resolved these issues.
The final compensation amount has been reduced from nearly ₹250 crore to ₹185 crore, allowing for full land acquisition, which has now been completed. A private firm has been awarded the tender for the Lada-Sarli segment.
Moving forward, the project is expected to be completed by 2029, with various initiatives to ensure uniform road quality and minimize disruptions. The state government has granted forest clearance to the highway within a week, following the Forest Conservation Amendment Act of 2023, which exempts strategic linear projects within 100 km of the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control from prior central clearance.
The National Board of Wildlife also granted permission for the diversion of 310 hectares of forest land from the Namdapha tiger reserve, citing strategic interests. With segments of the Frontier Highway running parallel to China's G 219 highway and near the Line of Actual Control, the project holds significant strategic importance for India.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times - Economy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
