Arunachal locals fume over frequent road closures near China border in Anjaw

Partial closure of a crucial road connecting Indo-China border towns in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district has triggered widespread resentment among commuters, who are left stranded for hours without food and medical facilities. Locals and tourists have urged the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to expedite restoration work and provide proper information regarding road closure timings.
 

The disruption began after a massive landslide hit the Mompani area of Anjaw district on April 2, cutting off the region. Though the road was reopened in June, fresh construction of an alternate route by NHIDCL has led to frequent and unannounced closures. Commuters complain that families, including children and the elderly, are forced to remain stuck on the road for hours due to lack of awareness about closure schedules.

This vital road is the lifeline not only for the residents of Anjaw but also for security forces stationed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It provides access to key locations such as Walong, Kibithu, Kaho, and Chaglagam, as well as tourism sites like Dong Valley, famous as the “first sunrise place of India.” The frequent disruptions are hampering both civilian movement and army convoys in the sensitive border zone.

Speaking to India Today NE, stranded commuters, including tourists, expressed frustration over the unannounced closures, citing a recent Sunday when the road was blocked for several hours without prior notice. They have appealed to NHIDCL and the district administration to maintain transparency in closure schedules and accelerate work to restore normal connectivity at the earliest.

Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin has issued a traffic advisory, citing NHIDCL inputs on the deteriorating condition of the highway. He said that the work is being carried out on a “war footing” and assured that the new alternate road will be completed soon. However, commuters argue that the absence of a proper timetable continues to cause daily jams, with vehicles stuck in serpentine queues for hours. Debris clearance work is also being delayed by shooting stones and constant rainfall, officials admitted.
 

Last week, Lohit DC K.N. Damo, along with NHIDCL engineers, inspected the Tezu-Mompani road and observed that while jungle-cutting work between Damwe and Brahmakund Tri-Junction had been undertaken, felled trees and bushes were left uncleared, making the stretch untidy and unsafe. The DC urged NHIDCL to promptly remove debris from landslides and ensure smoother traffic flow.

The Tezu-Mompani road forms part of the 2,407-km Trans-Arunachal Highway (NH-13), a strategically crucial project connecting district headquarters across the state. Announced by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008, the project was taken up by the APPWD, BRO, and NHIDCL in different packages to boost connectivity, economic growth, and India’s military preparedness against China’s Western Theatre Command.

Anjaw MLA and Minister Dasanglu Pul has also assured the public that restoration efforts are in progress. She stated that a semi-permanent alternate road, sanctioned by the government, is under construction to ensure all-weather connectivity and prevent similar disruptions in the future.