Kiren Rijiju flags compensation issues in Arunachal Highway Project

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday expressed concern over alleged attempts to delay the ambitious Frontier Highway project in Arunachal Pradesh, and claimed that the "disease of compensation" has afflicted a section of the state's people.

The Arunachal Frontier Highway is a 1,748 km long road that will stretch from Bomdila in the west to Vijaynagar in the east, running parallel to the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Considered a "game changer" for the border areas of the state, the project's estimated cost is Rs 42,000 crore.

Speaking at a function held here to mark the completion of 11 years of the Narendra Modi government, Rijiju said he was "saddened and equally happy" about the project: happy because it marks a long-cherished dream for the state, and sad because a few vested interests are trying to delay it in the name of compensation.

“The Frontier Highway is the country’s biggest road project with a total outlay of Rs 42,000 crore. It’s our dream project to connect remote border areas that have been neglected for decades,” the Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs minister said.

The Arunachal West MP said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued strict instructions for the highway's speedy completion, underscoring the project's national importance.

“We never imagined that a highway would come up in places where only porter tracks existed. This is a game-changer,” he added.

However, the minister did not mince words in highlighting the roadblocks.

“The major disease in our society is compensation. After sanctioning the project, land officers, in connivance with local leaders, are trying to divert the alignment to claim hefty compensation. This is not acceptable,” he said.

Terming it a "cancerous practice", Rijiju warned that the government would not tolerate such actions.

“To earn easy money, a section of people is hell-bent on jeopardising this visionary project. We work hard to get schemes sanctioned, and some are trying to delay them for personal gains. If you really want to earn, do normal work,” he said.

The Union minister said that compensation for genuinely affected landowners would be paid soon, but warned against any attempts to exploit the system.

Rijiju added that he has held separate meetings with the Union Cabinet Secretary, the State Chief Secretary, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to ensure timely execution of the project.

Urging Khandu to intervene, Rijiju called upon elected representatives to stop such malpractices and ensure that the project progresses without hindrance.

“This project is not just about connectivity, it is about ensuring development reaches the last village. It is intended to reverse migration from border areas,” he said.

The Frontier Highway will run along the India-Tibet-China-Myanmar border, passing through strategic regions as close as 20 km from the LAC and international borders.

The highway will start from Bomdila and traverse through Nafra, Huri, and Monigong before ending in Vijaynagar, near the India-Myanmar border.

Rijiju added that the highway is a key component of the Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme, which aims to boost infrastructure and development in India’s border areas.

Highlighting the broader development under the BJP-led NDA government in the past 11 years, Rijiju said the northeast region has seen transformative changes, with Arunachal Pradesh now being placed at the center of India’s border infrastructure push.

“This project is about securing our borders, uplifting our people,” he added.