The Centre has reassigned execution of the Rs 420 bn Frontier Highway project in Arunachal Pradesh to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), effectively sidelining the state Public Works Department (PWD) despite its involvement since the project's inception. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has allocated the western stretch to BRO and the eastern section to NHIDCL. The highway has been designated National Highway 913 and will run from Mago-Thingbu in Tawang to Vijaynagar in Changlang district, traversing remote areas close to the Line of Actual Control.

State officials expressed dissatisfaction with the decision and said that the PWD had assisted in preparing detailed project reports. The reassignment follows an investigation into an alleged land compensation scam in East Kameng district, centred on the Lada-Sarli stretch, which has led to arrests and suspensions including that of a former deputy commissioner. While authorities have not formally linked the shift to the probe, sources suggested concerns over transparency and project management influenced the choice to entrust execution to centrally monitored agencies.

MoRTH had earlier issued bid acceptance letters to several firms, but work is yet to begin on the ground, raising concerns over timelines. The project carries a targeted completion date of 2027, and the recent reshuffle could affect progress even as revised national highway norms permit extended schedules for complex projects. Observers said the involvement of BRO and NHIDCL may improve coordination, monitoring and execution speed in difficult terrain.

Exclusion of the state Public Works Department may alter local coordination dynamics and reduce access to on the ground administrative experience, which could complicate stakeholder engagement. The Centre has continued to push for faster connectivity along frontier regions to strengthen defence preparedness and economic integration. With the project not yet under way, its progress will be closely watched as central agencies recalibrate execution to meet strategic and developmental objectives.