Arunachal student body ANSU issues ultimatum: Start highway project or face bandh

The All Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) has issued a warning of bandhs starting from January 25 if the construction of the Package B highway project does not commence by then. 

The newly elected President of ANSU, Lezen Gyadi, has given a one-month ultimatum to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting the unprecedented delay in the 11 km highway construction worth Rs 342 crores, which has been pending for almost four years.

ANSU has expressed its concerns over the prolonged delay and has urged the Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, who is also the Chief Minister, Pema Khandu, to ensure strict vigilance over the project's progress. 

Despite repeated assurances from the authorities, the construction remains stalled, prompting ANSU to consider calling for a bandh as a form of protest against the neglect.

The Arunachal Pradesh government is yet to decide whether to terminate the contracts related to Package B, as the firm responsible failed to complete the work on time. 

Earlier, the PWD highway department issued a termination notice to the executing agencies, Woodhill Shivam and TK Engineering Consortium Pvt. Ltd., for not meeting the project milestones. The project, which includes a 3.9 km two-lane flyover, was expected to be completed by December.

Also Read: Arunachal minister reviews infrastructure at Itanagar State Museum

The four-lane highway from Chandan Nagar to Banderdewa, divided into Packages A, B, and C, has seen completion of Packages A and C within the stipulated time, while Package B remains incomplete. 

In March 2021, CM Pema Khandu inaugurated Package A after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court has also directed the state government to address the deteriorating condition of the capital roads.

The situation has sparked concerns among leaders who question the state of roads in other district headquarters and across National Highways, State Highways, Major District Roads, and village roads in Arunachal Pradesh. 

They attribute the issues to a lack of accountability, poor monitoring, and failure to implement policies, rather than solely natural factors.

The plight of motorists on the Naharlagun highway is expected to continue for at least two more years. 

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had awarded a Rs 341-crore contract for the 11 km highway, but the awarded company failed to complete even 30% of the work within the three-year deadline, leading to the termination of the contract.

Orissa-based Woodhill Shivam JV secured the contract for four-laning the highway from Papunalah to Lekhi, awarded by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). 

The work commenced on December 18, 2021, executed by the sublet firm TK Engineering Consortium Pvt. Ltd. from Arunachal Pradesh.