ITANAGAR, April 5 (PTI): The ambitious 157.56 km-long road connecting remote Vijaynagar from Miao, in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh will be made motorable by April 25 this year, while the blacktopping on the road would be completed by the end of September.
This announcement was made by deputy chief minister Chowna Mein when he visited the easternmost and one of the remotest administrative circles of the state recently, along with cabinet ministers Wangki Lowang, Kamlung Mosang and Honchun Ngandam, an official communique said here on Tuesday.
Addressing a public meeting in the area, Mein said that despite difficult situations and initial delay, the construction work along the road has made remarkable progress.
Related Posts:
The work on the road was delayed due to its re-alignment as it passes through the Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary. The state government had provided an additional amount of Rs 39 crore for the re-alignment process.
“Both the governor and chief minister have always expressed their concern about this road and many review meetings have already been conducted in the past few years. We do not need a fair-weather road but an all-weather road for Vijaynagar,” Mein said.
The deputy chief minister further opined that the strategically important road needs to be handed over to Border Roads Organization (BRO) for maintenance after its completion as it will also be used for the Indian Army’s mobilisation.
Mein who travelled the entire 157-km-long Miao-Vijaynagar journey on road said, besides inspecting the progress of the road, his visit to the remote circle was also to explore the potential of the area.
“I have also come to explore the potential of Vijaynagar so that the government can bring economic development in the area and help the people who have been living in difficult situations for several decades,” he said.
“With roads come development, so start preparing for the days to come as you will witness enormous growth in the field of tourism, agriculture and horticulture,” Mein said while lauding the locals for being patient and hard working.
The deputy chief minister on the occasion also assured to provide necessary funds for the construction of a multipurpose hall with a seating capacity of 300, a new EAC office complex, officers’ quarters and repair and maintenance of the police station.
He also assured to provide a 4×4 vehicle for the Vijaynagar circle officer, an ambulance for the primary health centre and to start a mini-bus or sumo service under the state transport for the area once the road is completed.
Mein further assured to look into the power requirements of the area with the development of micro hydroelectric projects (MHP) namely the 4×250 KW Dehing MHP at Vijaynagar and 2×250 KW Sirit MHP at Preetnagar and 2×25 KW Preet MHP at Mazgaon.
He informed that the Preet MHP project has already been sanctioned by the government at an estimated amount of Rs 328.73 lakh.
The DyCM, however, said that the feasibility for the 1 MW hydro electric project at Vijaynagar will be properly studied by the departmental experts so that it does not fail after completion.
Mein also assured to take up with the regional office of State Bank of India, the possibility of setting up an SBI branch at Vijaynagar so that the public can avail the benefits of various government schemes.
Assurance to install 4G mobile towers in various locations of the circle under the USOP Scheme and regular maintenance of the solar lighting systems provided to the people of Vijaynagar and Gandhigram were also given by Mein.
Spread across 8,000 square kilometres, Vijaynagar which comprises sixteen villages has a population of around 4,400 people. The circle is surrounded on three sides by Myanmar and on the other side by a vast and thick forest of Namdapha National Park.
Earlier it used to take around 7 to 10 days on foot through dense forests to reach the isolated region.
