Work begins on India's strategic highway on China frontier in Arunachal Pradesh; will give forces hawk-eye view of LAC

To keep a hawk eye on China’s activities across the LAC and ease movement of Indian troops to the Indo-China border, the Indian government has started work on the Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh. The nearly 1,700 km-long Frontier Highway project is part of a big road infrastructure push in Arunachal Pradesh by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in recent years. It is considered to be India’s most challenging and strategic and  is also seen as an effort to counter the designs of China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The project, first conceived around 2016 and had in the past been objected by China, is aimed to be completed by 2027. Govt invites first tenders The first tenders for construction of the Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh have been invited by the Indian government and News18, in an exclusive report, said they are worth nearly Rs 2,200 crore. Details of Frontier Highway project An important highway stretch of nearly 121 km between Hunli and Hayuliang adjacent to the LAC will be constructed. There will be a 17 km-long strategic bridge between Hunli and Ithun, and a 13 km road from Tutin to Zido. The Arunachal Frontier Highway will connect Dirang-Tawang road, Nafra, Lada, Bameng, Chayangtajo, Sarli, Damin, Parsi Parlo, Tali, Taliha, Siyum, Mechuka, Tato, Payum, Tuting, Singa, Dibang Valley and Anjaw onwards up to Vijaynagar. Once the highway is complete, it will provide connectivity from Bomdila near Tawang, next to the LAC, to Vijaynagar near the Myanmar border. Frontier Highway project total cost The entire cost of the Frontier Highway project in Arunachal will be Rs 27,000 crore. “This will be one of the toughest and biggest border road projects in Independent India,” Arunachal MP and Union minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier said. The Frontier Highway in the north and east part of Arunachal Pradesh along the China border would be in addition to the Trans-Arunachal Highway running through the middle of the state and the Arunachal East-West Corridor.