Three Arunachal Pradesh legislators from East Siang district held a high-level meeting with Indian Army officials at Sigar Military Station on Thursday. The delegation, comprising MLAs Oken Tayeng (Mebo), Tapi Darang (Pasighat East), and Ninong Ering (Pasighat West), presented detailed proposals for three major infrastructure projects that they believe will serve both civilian and strategic purposes. The meeting was also attended by Executive Engineers from the Public Works and Water Resources Departments—Er. Mano Tayeng and Er. Onit Panyang—who outlined technical details through PowerPoint presentations, drawing attention to the long-overdue infrastructure demands of the region. At the heart of the discussion was the proposed construction of a double-lane Mebo-Dhola Road via Mebo-Kiyit-Namsing, estimated to cost ₹424.27 crore, including ₹116 crore allocated for a 250-meter bridge over the Taro Tamak River. MLA Oken Tayeng stressed the urgency of this road to facilitate the movement of oil exploration machinery—particularly for the Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) operating in Mer village—and to improve emergency military mobility in border areas.
“These roads are vital not only for our people’s daily lives but also for rapid military deployment in times of national need,” said Tayeng. “We have received positive indications from Army officials, who assured us that the proposals will be forwarded to the central government for support.” Adding to the infrastructure roadmap, Pasighat East MLA Tapi Darang proposed the construction of a 10.30 km double-lane VTI-Komlighat-GTC Bypass Road, with an estimated cost of ₹88 crore. The bypass is designed to ease congestion in Pasighat township by diverting heavy trucks and military vehicles away from crowded urban roads. Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering backed the call for improved connectivity with a proposal to build a railway siding at Sille village, along with a 3.4 km double-lane approach road connecting NH-515 with Rani village. The ₹61.51 crore project aims to provide efficient logistical support for defence operations while benefiting local transportation.
The strategic relevance of these projects was strongly emphasized by the legislators. The Mebo-Dhola road, which connects Arunachal Pradesh to Assam, has long suffered from neglect, with sections frequently washed away by the Siang River’s annual floods. This results in the isolation of key villages such as Borguli, Seram, Kongkul, Namsing, Gadum, and Mer in Arunachal, and Migmag, Masgao, and Amarpur in Assam, disrupting both civilian life and strategic movement. Tayeng proposed an alternative bridge from Paglam Ghat (Arunachal) to Na-Bormura near Dhola (Assam) to provide a viable alternative to the existing Bogibeel and Sadiya bridges. Such a route, he argued, would drastically reduce travel time and enhance regional connectivity for both civil and defence purposes.
