Arunachal minister urges Antony to speed up BRO projects

Itanagar, Feb 3: Arunachal Pradesh PWD, Finance and Planning Minister Chowna Mein has once again requested Defence Minister AK Antony to expedite the ambitious Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH), particularly the portion allotted to the Border Roads Organization (BRO).

Mein along with the PWD Parliamentary Secretary TN Thongdok had called on the defence minister in his New Delhi office recently to apprise him of the slow progress by the BRO.

In a letter, Mein drew attention towards the 158 km Koloriang-Joram, 228.5 km Anini-Meka, 188.6 km Digaru-Hawai and 105 km Akajan-Likabali-Bame roads, part of important road development programme announced in 2008 by the Prime Minister and allotted to the BRO.

Requesting for a renewed thrust for speedy execution, he informed that the APPWD had not only prepared the detailed project reports (DPRs) of its roads and obtained sanctions, but had awarded works after tendering. But the DPRs were even yet to be sanctioned for the above BRO roads, immensely important for state's hydropower development and connecting HQs of Kurung Kumey, Dibang Valley and Anjaw districts.

Antony has consented to visit this Himalayan state on a two-day trip to attend the statehood day celebration on February 20 as the chief guest.

Moreover, upgradation of the 85 km Balipara-Nechipu as general staff (GS) road and 233 Km Tawang to Nechipu (NH-229) by BRO has not only been very slow, but the condition of the road was extremely deplorable at many stretches while widening work has been going on for almost a decade. This has been causing extreme hardship to the commuters of West Kameng, East Kameng and Tawang districts, the letter pointed out.

"I would also like to bring to your notice that the work of alternate route to Tawang via Shergaon-Mandla-Naga GG (under BRO) has been very slow and languishing for the last 15 years," Mein said, while stressing on the early completion of the road with strategic importance.

After the duo had sought the intervention of the defence minister on BRO roads and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Dr. C P Joshi for the maintenance and development of the capital's NH52A into a four-lane highway, Union DoNER Minister Pawan Singh Ghatowar as the PM's envoy had reviewed the TAH progress here on Jan 19 last and assured to remove any hurdle in the progress. Moreover, Director General Border Roads Lt. Gen. Ravi Shankar had also inspected the BRO roads simultaneously to take stock of the progress. (ANI)