Arunachal Pradesh road project approved: Kiren Rijiju

The ambitious road project close to the McMohan Line is still in the conceptual stage and yet to get approval from the Cabinet, Rijiju said, adding that the Defence ministry had also cleared the project after changing alignment of the road in two portions.

Itanagar, Sept 21: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today said the road project from Tawang to Vijaynagar in Arunachal Pradesh has been approved by the Infrastructure Empowered Committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary, and forwarded to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for preparation of the detailed project report (DPR). “After the DPR is ready, we will know the exact estimate of the project and will be sending it to the Cabinet for final approval,” the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs told reporters on the sideline of a function here. The ambitious road project close to the McMohan Line is still in the conceptual stage and yet to get approval from the Cabinet, Rijiju said, adding that the Defence ministry had also cleared the project after changing alignment of the road in two portions.

“The project was conceived by the Home Ministry to benefit the people living in the border areas. When a major project is conceived, it has to be discussed in all the ministries before going to the Cabinet for final approval for implementation,” he said while clarifying media reports. “I have submitted the project proposal and officials from Arunachal Pradesh including the Chief Secretary and Planning Secretary convened a meeting at Delhi under my chairmanship along with Army Chief, Defence Secretary, Secretary Border Management of the Home Ministry including senior officials of the MoRTH, all intelligence chiefs where we have decided that the road should be constructed,” he said.

“We have sent the proposal to the defence ministry for necessary approval. The ministry after re-aligning the road in two portions namely Mago to West Kameng and Tuting-Singa- Anini,” he said. Rijiju said the ministry had proposed to use the existing trans-Arunachal Highway from Tawang to Dirang instead of Mago to West Kameng. From Dirang, the road would pass through Thongri, East Kameng, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, Upper Subansiri, West Siang, Upper Siang, Anini, Anjaw and finally Vijaynagar. For the other portion from Tuting to Anini via Singa, the ministry had stated that it would be time taking for which it was decided that from Tuting the road would go through Yingkiong and Pasighat to connect Anini, Rijiju added.(ALSO READ: Government approves Rs 2,600-crore highway projects across five states)

Responding to a question regarding the greenfield airport project in the state capital, Rijiju said a team from civil aviation ministry is scheduled to visit the state capital to solve all the issues including land acquisition for which a meeting had been convened at New Delhi recently. “Land acquisition is a state government subject and I hope that the government will expedite the process soon,” he said. On civilian use of advanced landing grounds (ALGs), Rijiju said that he had discussed the issue with Airport Authority of India and as per the agreement executed with the defence ministry, there should be provision of civil terminals in all the ALGs in the state. “Where there is available land, civil terminal will be constructed in the ALGs,” he added.