PM to visit Itanagar on Sept 22, launch Rs 42,000-Cr Frontier Highway & VVP Phase II
Vibrant Village Programme Phase-II will be launched, ensuring roads and 4G, while connectivity for 122 border villages in the state
A file image of PM Modi during his visit to Arunachal in March. (Photo:@PemaKhanduBJP/X)
Itanagar, Sep 16: Elaborate arrangements are underway in the state capital ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Itanagar on September 22. Security has been significantly beefed up, and preparations such as road beautification and stage construction are in full swing, on Tuesday.
During his visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the 1,830-km Frontier Highway project, which will run parallel to the McMahon Line, connecting Bomdila in West Kameng district to Vijaynagar in Changlang district.
Modi will also lay the foundation stones for two hydroelectric projects on the Yarjep river – the 186-MW Tato-I project and the 240-MW Heo project – and inaugurate an integrated convention centre at Tawang.
In addition, the Prime Minister will launch the second phase of the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) from Indira Gandhi Park.
Under this phase, 122 border villages will receive all-weather roads, 4G telecom connectivity, TV services, and on-grid electrification.
Of these, 67 villages are along the India-Myanmar border and 55 along the India-Bhutan border. The Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned Rs 2,205 crore for the programme.
On the same day, PM Modi is also scheduled to visit Tripura to unveil the redeveloped Tripureswari Temple, a significant Shakti Pith, renovated under the Centre’s PRASAD scheme at a cost of Rs 51 crore.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha announced plans to build replicas of all 51 Shakti Piths in Bandower (Gomati district) at a cost of Rs 97 crore, allowing devotees to experience them in one place and promoting spiritual tourism.
Earlier in February, the Centre had sanctioned the 1,637-km Frontier Highway project.
The Frontier Highway, designated National Highway 913 (NH-913), stands as India’s most ambitious initiative to secure its border with China while fostering development in one of the nation’s most isolated regions.
With an estimated cost of Rs 42,000 crore, it ranks among the country’s largest infrastructure undertakings. Beyond its economic impact, the project acts as a strategic counter to China’s expanding infrastructure in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
The hefty investment reflects the formidable terrain—snow-covered mountains, thick forests, and altitudes reaching 4,500 metres—necessitating tunnels, bridges, and advanced engineering to ensure both connectivity and security along this sensitive border.
With inputs from PTI