Itanagar, April 21: The Students’ Union Movement of Arunachal Pradesh (SUMA) on Monday organized a peaceful protest rally in Itanagar, raising concerns over the alignment of the proposed Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH-913) and calling for key administrative reforms to strengthen infrastructure development and governance in the state.
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| Police personnel interact with protesters during the SUMA rally in Itanagar demanding realignment of the Arunachal Frontier Highway and relocation of the MoRTH regional office. |
The rally commenced from Akashdeep and concluded at Mithun Gate, with participants carrying placards and banners highlighting what they described as the “wrong alignment” of the proposed Frontier Highway stretching from Nafra to Vijaynagar. Protesters urged the concerned authorities to review and reassess the alignment of the strategic road project, arguing that it should better serve the interests of frontier communities while addressing national security concerns.
As part of the demonstration, SUMA submitted a memorandum to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, outlining its concerns regarding infrastructure planning in the border state. In the memorandum, the student body emphasized the strategic importance of the Frontier Highway and urged the Ministry of Defence to consider realigning the proposed route within 15 to 20 kilometres of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
According to SUMA, positioning the highway closer to the international border would strengthen India's defence preparedness, improve connectivity in remote frontier areas, and contribute to safeguarding territorial integrity along the eastern sector of the border.
The student organization also raised the issue of administrative accessibility and demanded the permanent relocation of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) regional office from Tezpur in Assam to Itanagar. SUMA leaders argued that establishing the regional office within Arunachal Pradesh would improve coordination, speed up decision-making processes, and facilitate more effective monitoring of infrastructure projects in the state.
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Speaking during the rally, student leaders said the protest was intended to draw attention to the aspirations and concerns of people living in Arunachal Pradesh’s frontier regions. They stressed the need for a more strategic, locally responsive, and security-oriented approach to infrastructure planning in border areas.
The rally concluded peacefully, with participants reiterating their demand for greater consultation with local stakeholders and urging the central government to consider their recommendations in the interest of national security, regional development, and the welfare of frontier communities.
