26th Nov 2021 10:11:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

Chief Minister Pema Khandu, decrying the road condition of Bameng during his recent visit to Bameng and Chayangtajo is a welcome statement. His initiative to travel by road to assess the ground realities is laudable too.  
Given the saga of mis-utilisation of funds and missed deadlines, one would assume that CM is committed to keeping a tab on these two road projects. 
Also, it is expected that Chief Minister should travel more across the state specially to places like Aalo via Pangin or to Daporijo via Likabali-Basar route. Not only him, he should be accompanied by the respective chief engineers, secretaries and commissioners. 
After being in the helm of affairs since July 2016 and criss-crossing the state via helicopter over the last six years haven’t given him the fair assessment of the pathetic road conditions across several urban towns across central Arunachal Pradesh. 
One can vouch for the highways in the central Arunachal wherein rural roads and highways  are in dilapidated condition and worst are the new road projects which are incomplete for want of men and machines and mismanagement of funds.
The  gross mismanagement  in Trans Arunachal Highway Project is no secret. The state  of  affairs has come to such a passé that in Package-9 of the Trans Arunachal Highway, payments are being made to contractors disproportionate to the work executed. It is an open secret that a cartel formed by former ministers (sub-contractors) are bullying the officials and the primary contractor in securing payments beyond its share of executed work. Such misuse of fund and bullying tactics adopted by few and release of disproportionate payments must be investigated and guilty be penalised. 
The Chief Minister may have political compulsions not to act upon such blatant violations for more than a reason  but the Governor of the state who is mandated to oversee the functioning of the government  on behalf of the President of India has no such baggage to be a mute spectator. 
Winter is a good season to travel across Arunachal, therefore, may one dare to suggest both the Governor and the Chief Minister to avoid air travel till March 2022, instead utilise these next four months to travel by roads, assess and scrutinise the project management in terms of quality and progress. 
Over the years, public were blamed for the  delay in executing the projects but flip is, several  projects are in bad shape even where there is no controversy over land acquisition. 
It has become a fad to showcase the good roads in Eastern  part of Arunachal Pradesh to visitors but how long can we hide the rickety roads in Central Arunachal !


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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