The student leaders and activists from All East Siang District Border Students’ Union (AESDBSU) and All East Siang District Students’ Union (AESDSU) of Arunachal Pradesh have urged for an early renovation of National Highway 515.
The dilapidated portions of road stretching from Ruksin Gate to Pasighat township along National Highway 515 is not only causing trouble to the daily commuters, but also poses threat in regards to its strategical importance of this region as military movements in case of emergency will also be adversely affected.
The students’ bodies also drew the attention of East Siang deputy commissioner, Dr Kinny Singh in this regard.
Student leaders Nong Ngupok, David Jerang and James Taloh said that the stretch of National Highway 515 from Ruksin to Pasighat has a major importance.
It is also the lifeline of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh and especially Pasighat township which is regarded as the economic and political capital of the Adi community.
They also took reference of the importance of NH 515 stretch from Ruksin to Pasighat for military route and transportation of Army troops and war machineries, as infrastructural development, especially road and transport in a state like Arunachal Pradesh to counter the massive Chinese infrastructures along Arunachal border can’t be ignored.
The union also cited the example of the 409 km toll free expressway at the other side of the border in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh border (5.8 billion dollars) etc but here on the Indian side in Arunachal Pradesh, ‘we are struggling to maintain even the most strategic stretch of two lanes National Highway 515 from Ruksin to Pasighat.
The union also took reference of an article published in Hindustan Times on December 19, 2018 where the parliamentary panel chaired by parliamentarian, Shashi Tharoor, said that “India needs to match China’s road infrastructure along border”.
The panel also added, “Worse, many roads are not built to withstand military traffic. Chinese had specifically taken advantage of this in the 1962 war and therefore we ought to draw lessons from the past on this matter”.
“Though Advance Landing Ground is built in Pasighat, we cannot undermine the importance of the stretch of NH 515 from Ruksin to Pasighat,” the union added.
The student leaders also said that the headquarter of East Siang District is about to host the senior women’s football championship from September 10 to 30 this year at the newly constructed stadium.
“Any road accidents caused due to the potholes, broken stretch of road due to erosion like the one near Oyan bridge under Ruksin Sub-Division on the left bank of the river and sink hole like occurrence at the entry gate of Rani Village, which has been left unattended for over a year and has seen numerous accidents in the past few days, etc, would malign the image of our district in particular and the State in general,” said the students to the deputy commissioner.
Kinny Singh on her part took serous cognizance of the appeal and have immediately forwarded the letter to the executive engineer, Highway for its time-bound renovation.
