PPA chief gets bitter taste of 'road development'

Itagar, Nov 6: A road trip to Aalo in West Siang district has made People’s Party of Aruchal (PPA) president Kahfa Bengia to question the BJP’s claim of attention towards PMGSY roads and highways across the State.

Returning from Aalo where he attended the iugural function of the third Dubi Rike Ete Memorial football tourment on Sunday, Bengia said:  “The State’s BJP government has been taking about investor-friendly industrial policy and development of PMGSY roads and highways. But the condition of 27 km Pangin-Aalo road, which takes two hours to cover, tells a different story.”

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, he said, had claimed all villages in the State will have road connectivity by 2019, but the road to West Siang district headquarters Aalo virtually does not exist.

“People in Aalo have resorted to shutdowns in protest against the handover of the construction of highway (from Likabali to Aalo) by BRTF to a private firm, but the government does not seem to listen. With such roads, can industry and tourism be promoted?” the PPA chief questioned.