Arunachal: Chowna Mein announces Miao-Vijaynagar road will be made motorable by 25th April’ 2022
VIJAYNAGAR- Addressing a public meeting in Vijaynagar on April 3, Deputy Chief Minister have announced that the Miao-Vijaynagar road will be made thorough and motorable by 25th April’ 2022 and black topping will be completed by the end of September 2022.
He said that despite the bad weather, he and his colleague ministers from Tirap, Changlang and Longding have decided to travel by road with two purposes. “First, to personally inspect the progress of the longest 157 KM Miao – Vijaynagar PMGSY road.
He said that despite the difficult situations, the road construction work has made remarkable progress after the initial delay due to re-alignment of the road as it was passing Wildlife Sanctuary”. He informed that State Govt through the Namdapha had provided Rs 39 crores for re-alignment of the PMGSY road after the non-clearance of Forest due to Wildlife sanctuary.
He said, “we do not need a fair-weather road but an all-weather road for Vijaynagar”. He further opined that the Miao-Vijaynagar road needs to be handed over to Border Road Organization after the completion of Vijaynagar road for maintenance as it will be convenient for the movement of defence forces too. He further informed that Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and Chief Minister is also very concerned about the Miao-Vijaynagar road and many review meetings have already been conducted in the last few years.
Deputy Chief Minister, Chowna Mein accompanied by Minister of Public Health Engineering & Water Supply Minister, Wangki Lowang, Minister of Food & Civil Supply, Geology & Mining, Urban Development & Housing, Kamlung Mosang, Minister of Rural Work Department, Honchun Ngandam and their entourage visited the last Administrative Circle near Myanmar border, Vijaynagar on April 2 and 3. They travelled by road from Miao-Vijaynagar road and reached Vijaynagar in one day i.e., in 12 hours with 3 hours stoppage on the way. It is the first high level team to reach Vijaynagar by road in one day.
The team headed by Deputy Chief Minister embarked on their three days historic journey to Vijaynagar Circle under Changlang District despite daunting heavy downpour of rains from Namsai at 6:00 AM on 2nd April 2022. With a brief haltage for a breakfast in Miao, for a tea in 40th Miles also called Burma Nallah and Yacheyleh village at 70th miles for an hour due to road blocked by landslide, the entourage reached Gandhigram Village, the largest village under Vijaynagar Circle at a distance of 132 KM from Miao at around 2:00 PM where the dignitaries were accorded a warm reception by the Yobin inhabitants of the village with traditional dances and slogan of Jai Hind. After lunch, the dignitaries had a brief interaction with the publics of the Gandhigram Village, the team proceeded towards Vijaynagar at 3:30 PM.
Manoeuvring through muddy roads with intermittent reception by the local inhabitants in the villages along the route viz., Ramnagar, Phaphar Bari and Dara Gaon, the dignitaries reached Vijaynagar exactly at 6:00 PM wherein they were received by the smiling faces of Gorkhas and Yobin people of Vijaynagar with loud slogan of Jai Hind. After reaching at Vijaynagar, in the same evening, the Dignitaries had an interaction with the personnels of Assam Rifles, Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau, Special Bureau and Indian Airforce. Next day, i.e., on 3rd April 2022, the dignitaries hold an interaction with the State Govt Officers and Contractor of the Miao-Vijaynagar road in the morning at 9:00 AM before attending a public meeting to take stock of the ongoing developmental projects under Vijaynagar circle and also sought their requirements.
He said, “secondly, I have come to see the potential of the area and to explore the potentialities of the area so that the Govt can bring economic development of the people of the area who have been living in difficult situations for last many decades till date”. He added, “with the road connectivity, development will also reach Vijaynagar”. He further said, “Vijaynagar will now open for development as with the opening of the road, all other development activities will follow ”. He asked them to start prepare for the days to come saying that the area has huge potential for tourism, agricultural and horticulture activities which will bring in economic development. He lauded the hard-working people of the area which he said is visible from the CGI Sheet roofing of the village houses despite having no road connectivity which they bring by carrying overhead for 157 KM from Miao. “The large cultivation of cardamom on the hills and paddy fields along the patches of plain areas and valleys is the testimony of their hard labour”, he added.
He assured to provide fund for a multipurpose hall of 300 seating capacity, new EAC office complex and officer’s quarters at Vijaynagar, fund for repair & maintenance of Police Station at Vijaynagar, a Mahindra Thar (4X4) vehicle for Circle Officer of Vijaynagar so that he can function his office at both Vijaynagar and Gandhigram 3 days in each place in a week. He also said to provide a 4X4 ambulance for the PHC Vijaynagar and to start running Govt mini-bus or winger and sumo service by APST once the road construction is completed.
He also assured to look into the power requirements of the area with development of numbers of Micro-Hydroelectric Project namely, construction of Dehing MHS (4X250 KW) at Vijaynagar to meet power requirement of Vijaynagar and Gandhigram, Sirit Micro-Hydel Project( 2X250KW) at Preetnagar which will cover entire Vijaynagar area and by construction of stand-alone Preet MHS (2X25 KW) at Mazgaon which will cover smaller villages in the vicinity like Mazgaon, Chididu, Twohut and Tupili. He informed that the Preet MHS project has already been sanctioned by the Govt with an estimated amount of Rs 328.73 Lakhs. He, however, said that the feasibility for 1 MW Hydro-Electric project at Vijaynagar will be made to properly studied by the departmental experts so that it does not fail after completion.
He further said to take up with the Regional Office of State Bank of India to set up an SBI branch office at Vijaynagar so that the public can avail of various Govt subsidised schemes under Atmanirbhar Bharat and Swalambhan Schemes. He further said to take up with Regional Post Office regarding the downgrading of Vijaynagar Post Office and change of PIN Code so that the public and ex-service men of Assam Rifles are not deprived of the services of Indian Post.
He further said to submit estimates for construction of internal roads of Vijaynagar and for the Hostel Building of Govt Secondary School, Vijaynagar. He also assured to install 4G mobile towers in various locations in Vijaynagar Circle under USOP Scheme. It was informed to him that the initiatives of installation of 4G Airtel Tower under Vijaynagar Circle has already been taken up by the Deputy Commissioner Changlang, Dr Devansh Yadav and ADC Miao, Sunny Kr Singh to install 4G airtel towers. He also assured for regular maintenance of solar lighting system provided to the remote places of Vijaynagar and Gandhigram.
In his interaction with the public in Gandhigram, Mein assured to provide fund for construction of Multipurpose hall with a Generator and a Guest House. He further said that the demand for creation of Dawodi CD Block and creation of Yobin Welfare Board will be taken up in the Cabinet. He also said to look into other demands in phase wise manner.
While highlighting various initiatives of the Govt in the Budget 2022-23 for the common people and farmers and for the people living in border areas, he further exhorted them to avail Govt schemes under Atmanirbhar Krishi, Atmanirbhar bagwani and the new schemes like Atmanirbhar plantation crops, Atmanirbhar Pashu Palan and Atmanirbhar matshya Palan. He also asked them to take benefits under Deendayal Upadhyay Swalambhan Scheme and CM’s Paryathan Yojana for development of homestays.
Minister PHE & WS, Wangki Lowang, Minister F&CS, UD&H, Kamlung Mosang, Minister RWD, Honchun Ngandam, DC Changlang, Dr Devansh Yadav, ADC Miao, Sunny Kr Singh, EAC Vijaynagar, A J Lungphi and Public Leaders of Vijaynagar and Gandigram also spoke during the public meetings.
Mein in his interaction with the personnel of 19th Assam Rifles, SIB, SB and Indian Airforce in the evening of 2nd just after reaching Vijaynagar have thanked them for extending their valuable and humanitarian services in times of need in such difficult border places.
DCM further gave a deadline to the executing agency and the contractors of Miao-Vijaynagar road to complete the remaining 30 culverts and 5 bridges and make it thorough and motorable by 25th April, 2022 and to complete the black topping/carpeting of road by the end of September 2022. SE RWD, Tanu Tamin informed that 85% of the total length of the road has been completed and assured to complete the road in the given deadline.
The dignitaries after attending a public meeting at Vijaynagar visited 18th Century old ‘Buddha Mandir’ by marching on foot for 3 hours after crossing Noh Dihing river over a hanging bridge. They also visited several villages namely, Twohut, Buddha Mandir, Mazgaon inhabited by Ex-servicemen of Assam rifles and interacted with the villagers after lunch at Mazgaon. He said that these villages will be connected with PMGSY Cluster road upto Buddha Mandir which will be taken up after the completion of the Miao-Vijaynagar road.
DCM and his entourage halt in the local house of Yobin at Gandhigram in the night of 3rd April and attended a public meeting and a cultural program. They finally began their return journey from Gandigram at 7:30 O’clock in the morning after the breakfast and reached Miao at 6:30 PM due to blockage by landslides in several locations and increased in water volume due to continuous downpouring of rains.
