Arunachal Minister urges Centre to hand over strategic road project to BRO

Arunachal Pradesh Law, Legislative and Justice Minister Kento Jini has urged the Centre to hand over the newly declared strategic Akajan-Likabali-Bame (ALB) Road project to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), as it has expertise in managing difficult border terrains.

In a letter addressed to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday (July 2, 2026), Mr. Jini, while expressing gratitude to the Centre for declaring the ALB road as a 'strategic road', batted for BRO at a time when the portion of the Likabali-Basar-Bame-Aalo stretch remains cut off due to rain-triggered landslides and flash floods.

He emphasised that the corridor serves as a socio-economic lifeline for seven border districts of the State, including Lower Siang, Leparada, West Siang, Shi Yomi, Siang, Upper Siang, and Upper Subansiri.

Mr. Jini, who represents the Aalo East assembly constituency in West Siang, highlighted the major landslide at the Siji block point recently, which is still cut off, stranding thousands of commuters and cutting off vital connectivity to the seven districts.

Seeking the Road Transport and Highway Ministry's intervention, Mr. Jini requested that the BRO be reinstated as the implementing agency for the project.

He said the road was originally constructed, managed, and maintained by the BRO before being transferred to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) during 2014-15.

"Considering the proven track record, expertise, efficiency, and strategic importance of the project, it is believed that BRO would be the better organisation to implement the project efficiently within the stipulated time frame," Mr. Jini said in his letter.

He added that bringing back the BRO would ensure quality work, allowing the intended benefits of the strategic corridor to reach the public without further delays.