Itanagar, Aug 7: Deputy Speaker of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kardo Nyigyor, has appealed to student bodies and local organisations to withdraw their proposed strike over the condition of the Akajan–Bame Road, assuring that the process to upgrade the strategically important highway is already underway.
The Akajan–Bame Road serves as a crucial lifeline connecting the districts of Lower Siang, Leparada, West Siang, Upper Subansiri, Shi-Yomi and Siang.
Responding to concerns over the deteriorating condition of the road, Nyigyor, who represents the Likabali Assembly Constituency, said the government has initiated administrative procedures for its upgradation following high-level interventions. He explained that the highway, originally built under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE), temporarily came under the state's responsibility after the central scheme concluded.
Following joint representations by legislators to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has since designated the route as a National Strategic Highway, paving the way for its long-term development.
Nyigyor said that although the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) initially entrusted the project to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the state government has formally requested the Ministry of Defence to assign the work to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
According to him, BRO is better equipped to undertake immediate maintenance of the road due to its established labour camps and operational presence along the route, enabling faster response to monsoon-related damage and landslides than private contractors.
Appealing to the protesting student bodies, Nyigyor urged them to allow the statutory procedures to be completed without disruption. He assured that a decision on the executing agency and the subsequent survey for preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is expected between mid-August and September.
He also cautioned against politicising the issue, stressing that coordinated efforts are underway to ensure durable improvement of the vital strategic road.