Arunachal deputy CM pushes for fast-tracking Chongkham-Brahmakund highway

Itanagar, Dec 17 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Wednesday underscored the need to accelerate the construction of the two-lane national highway linking Chongkham (Namsai) to Brahmakund (Parshuram Kund) in the state's Lohit district.

He said this during a meeting with the executive director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Ashish Gupta.

Mein said the strategic highway is vital to bolstering connectivity, regional development and tourism in the state.

"The timely completion of this highway is crucial for improving connectivity and facilitating smoother movement for pilgrims and tourists visiting the sacred Parshuram Kund, as well as to strengthen socio-economic development in the region," Mein said in a social media post after the meeting.

Emphasising the broader impact of the project, Mein said the highway would not only ease travel but also unlock new opportunities for trade, tourism and local businesses.

"We must ensure all possible efforts are made to fast-track the construction," he stressed.

The Chongkham-Brahmakund stretch, part of National Highway 15, is around 61.15 km long and connects the districts of Namsai, Lohit and Anjaw in eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

The highway project was sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and entrusted to NHIDCL as part of the country's push to enhance connectivity in remote and border districts.

The project forms a key component of a larger Rs 44,000-crore national highway expansion package approved for the state, which includes three major highway corridors aimed at improving access and boosting economic activity in the northeast, officials said.

Under this package, the two-lane Brahmakund-Chowkham highway is estimated at around Rs 915 crore.

During the meeting, Mein highlighted the dilapidated condition of the existing road and insisted that NHIDCL expedite both maintenance and construction activities to ensure uninterrupted travel for local commuters and visitors alike.

Officials from NHIDCL assured the deputy chief minister that necessary preparatory steps would be taken swiftly, and coordination with field agencies would be reinforced to begin construction soon. PTI UPL UPL MNB