Firming up India’s strategic space, the mountainous regions of Arunachal Pradesh are set to acquire all-weather connectivity. Officials here said the new bridges across the Lohit river and the new commercial airport in Tezu will smoothen transport to several high-altitude districts near the India-China border.
“Necessary approvals and permissions have been issued by the district administration for commercial air services to begin. One calibration flight has been conducted. However, some more calibration flights are required. Recently, the funnel approach has also been cleared [of tall trees],” said the District Magistrate of Tezu, Danish Ashraf, explaining that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other government agencies are continuously coordinating for an earliest possible commencement of flights from the airport.
The improvements in connectivity is significant in view of the statements by Beijing’s officials asserting China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh. “The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from China’s Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction,” said Dai Bingguo, former Special Representative of China to the border talks with India.
However, infrastructure development in the State is noticeable. On a field trip, The Hindu found that the airport, the first in the State, will be equipped with night-landing facility. Apart from the airport, the two mega-bridges over the Lohit river will reduce hurdles in moving men and material to the eastern sector of the India-China border.
Longest bridge
The bridges at the Dhola-Sadiya ghat and at Digaru ghat were built by the Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL).
The bridge at Sadiya, at 9.15 km, will be the longest bridge in India once it is formally inaugurated. However, the people at Tezu say it is the smaller bridge of 2.1 km built at the Digaru ghat that has reduced the distance between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, bringing the State closer to the rest of India.
In the absence of the bridges, the drive from Guwahati will be interrupted by the Lohit, which could be crossed only by boat. The other bridge near the pilgrimage site of Parashuram Kund is often difficult to reach.
Vehicular traffic across the river required a risky boat ride carrying large and small vehicles to Tezu town. The route to Tezu is critical from a strategic point of view as the Himalayan range, which became famous as ‘the hump’ during World War II, can be accessed only through the mountain roads that begin at Tezu.
Tezu is the nearest town to Walong, where a legendary battle between Indian and Chinese soldiers took place between 16 October to 16 November 1962. “The coming generation will not know the hardship that locals faced to cross the Lohit,” said local trader S. Rahman, who has resided here since 1985, adding, “Locals used elephants to cross the river and so many people drowned in it.”
Strategic preparedness
The new bridges will also provide the necessary support for the strategic preparedness for the forces in the mountains, which will be critical for India where the new Mountain Strike Corps is likely to focus.
The planned high altitude airfields in the Himalayan range would also be helped by the enhanced connectivity of Tezu.
