Trans-Arunachal Highway


The Trans-Arunachal Highway, 2,407 km long network entailing several spurs and 1,559 km already completed NH13 trunk route, is an all-weather two-lane highway project in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The highway system beginning in northwest from Tawang ends in at Wakro in Arunachal Pradesh state. The existing NH13 highway , the remaining 4 districts and the state capital will be connected by 848 km long upgraded 2-lane spur highways. The project between the strategic Tawang area to near Dibrugarh in Assam passes through Bomdila, Nechipur, Seppa, Sagalee, Ziro, Daporijo, Along, Pasighat, Roing Teju, Mahadevpur, Namchik, Changlang and Khonsa and Kanubari enroute. Tawang to Wakro portion of NH13 route became operational in 2018 when 6.2 km long Dibang River Bridge was completed across Dibang River. Sela Tunnel, a shorter alternative route with target completion by Jan/Feb 2022, will provide all-weather connectivity.
NH13 of Trans-Arunachal Highway system in Arunachal Pradesh and NH15 along the upper banks of Brahmaputra form an oval-shaped highway loop. NH13 joins the beginning of NH15 at Wakro, NH15 then runs east to west across Assam state along the northern bank of Brahmaputra River before rejoining NH13 at Yupia in the lower foothills of Arunachal Pradesh.
Enablers of India's Look East connectivity strategy and Northeast development, proposed Arunachal Frontier Highway along the China border, existing "Trans-Arunachal Highway" across the middle, and proposed Arunachal East-West Corridor across the lower foothills along the Assam border are 3 major highways spanning Arunachal Pradesh state. This strategically important highway network enhances Indian military's capabilities in combating the threat of China's Western Theater Command opposite India's eastern sector of Line of Actual Control.

Details

The Trans-Arunachal Highway, with NH13 as trunk route was upgraded to a two-lane road to link Tawang in north-western tip of Arunachal Pradesh to Kanubari in south-eastern end of the State and finally ending on NH-52 near
Akajan on the right side of Bogibeel bridge near Dibrugarh in Assam. The Highway, passing through the mid belt of the State, will inter-connect 12 out of total 16 district headquarters towns of the State and would thus provide improved connectivity to the state capital and important locations of population concentration and economic activities including the sites of major hydro electric power projects. Within Arunachal Pradesh, the Highway will connect the district headquarters and other important places such as Tawang, Bomdila, Nechipu, Seppa, Sagalee, Yupia, Yazali, Ziro, Daporijo, Along, Pasighat, Roing, Tezu, Mahadevpur, Bordumsa, Namchik, Changlang, Khonsa, Longding, Kanubari etc. and help greatly in reducing isolation of the people of the state. Out of about 1811 km of the Highway, about 290 km forms part of NH-52 and 10 km of NH-153. 60-km 'missing link' between NH-57 and NH-37 connecting Dibang and Lohit valley in the state was also constructed.