Centre hands frontier highway project to BRO, NHIDCL; Arunachal PWD sidelined

In a significant development, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has assigned the ambitious Frontier Highway project in Arunachal Pradesh to the Border Roads Organisation and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, effectively sidelining the state Public Works Department (PWD) despite its involvement since the project’s inception.

Under the new arrangement, NHIDCL will oversee the eastern stretch of the highway, while BRO will handle construction in the western sector. The decision has reportedly left state officials disheartened, with concerns being raised before Chief Minister Pema Khandu over the exclusion of the PWD from execution responsibilities.

Although no official explanation has been provided, sources suggest the move may be linked to the ongoing land compensation controversy in East Kameng district, which is currently under investigation.

The Frontier Highway, estimated at Rs 42,000 crore, is a strategic infrastructure project planned along the Indo-Tibet border. Once completed, it is expected to significantly enhance connectivity in remote border areas and strengthen both civilian and strategic mobility.

However, even as the project promises to transform infrastructure in the region, its rollout has begun amid uncertainty and administrative concerns within the state.