The Arunachal Pradesh unit of the NCP has urged the state government to ensure early construction of the East-West highway stretching from Twang to Tirup districts of the state. It has been necessitated by the frequent bandh calls in neighbouring areas in Assam. There is no alternative route through which people can reach different places in the state without touching Assam. The people of Arunachal Pradesh are faced with serious problems whenever there is a bandh in Assam. These bandhs also hinder regular supply of essential commodities to the state. The state NCP has urged different organisations in Assam to keep Arunachal people out of the purview of local bandhs as they have nothing to do with the agitations.
One of the main problems dividing the two Northeastern states is the environmental issue. Assam is against the construction of dams in Arunachal Pradesh and across the Ranganadi river within its own territory. But these dams have to be built to bring about economic development in the Northeast, especially with generation of hydel power to overcome the region’s power crisis. The people of Assam have been shortsighted enough to mount agitations against supply of construction materials to projects in Arunachal Pradesh. The recent agitation in Assam severed communication links of Arunachal Pradesh which is the most strategically situated part of the Northeast, bordering China. Lack of connectivity is the major constraint in Northeastern development. Arunachal is the worst victim as it has no air-link with the rest of India. The chopper service is unreliable as the death of a former CM in a helicopter accident proved. The construction of the highway is an absolute necessity. But blockades choking traffic on highways are not unknown in the region. Manipur suffers the most and Arunachal Pradesh may take a cue from it sometime or other.
