Strategic Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh Gets ₹6,000 Cr Boost

In line with the government's focus on bolstering connectivity in border regions, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has earmarked approximately ₹6,000 crore for 11 different packages of the strategic Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh. This highway will run near the India-Tibet-China-Myanmar border.

The construction of this 1,748 km two-lane highway, positioned just 20 km from the international border at various points, is scheduled to commence by April of this year.

Construction will be undertaken by three agencies—the state public works department, Border Road Organisation, and National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation. The project will be executed in phases, with nearly 400 km expected to be bid out by the end of this financial year, generating employment opportunities for locals.

Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, while announcing the allocation of funds for two packages of the Frontier Highway, emphasized its strategic significance in enhancing connectivity to border areas and fostering economic growth. The construction of the Frontier Highway is expected to mitigate migration and promote reverse migration towards the border regions of Arunachal Pradesh.

Given that the greenfield stretch traverses through uninhabited or sparsely-populated areas of upper Arunachal Pradesh, two-lane highways will suffice to accommodate traffic demand and meet the strategic movement requirements of defence forces. Gadkari also highlighted that the road infrastructure will facilitate connectivity across crucial river basins and contribute to the development of numerous hydropower projects in the state.