Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday informed the state Assembly that the key road linking Longding district with Nokjan in neighbouring Nagaland will be upgraded under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF).
Replying to a query raised by National People’s Party MLA Thangwang Wangham during Question Hour, Khandu said a proposal to improve about 22 kilometres of the road — excluding the stretch that falls under the highway — has been included in the priority list for CRIF support from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the current financial year.
He stated that the proposed project is expected to cost approximately Rs 60 crore.
According to the chief minister, the total length of the important road is 28.82 kilometres. Of this, a stretch of 9.81 kilometres had earlier been developed in 2011 with financial assistance from the North Eastern Council.
Regarding the remaining sections, Khandu explained that about 7 kilometres now fall under National Highway 215, nearly 12 kilometres are maintained by the state’s Rural Works Department, while the rest of the road is under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department.
He further said that the PWD division in Longding has already conducted technical inspections and assessments of the road and forwarded the required estimates to the Director (Project Coordinator) of the Planning and Investment Department, as well as the nodal authority concerned for further action.
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Earlier, raising the issue in the Assembly, Wangham, who represents the Longding-Pumao constituency, said the road is a crucial lifeline for residents of Longding district and also acts as an important link between the Wancho community of Arunachal Pradesh and the Konyak tribe living across the border in Nagaland.
