The Centre has reassigned execution of the Rs 420 billion (Rs 420 bn) Frontier Highway 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 amid an investigation into alleged land compensation irregularities and persistent delays in the strategic project. The move transfers responsibility for construction to centrally monitored agencies envisaged to speed up delivery in remote frontier areas. State officials expressed dissatisfaction, noting the PWD had been involved since the project was conceived and had assisted in preparation of detailed project reports.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has tasked the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) with executing the western stretch and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) with the eastern section. The Frontier Highway, designated National Highway 913, will run from Mago-Thingbu in Tawang to Vijaynagar in Changlang district, skirting areas close to the Line of Actual Control. Authorities view the route as crucial for both civilian connectivity and strategic mobility in sensitive border regions.

The reassignment followed an Anti-Corruption Bureau probe into alleged land compensation malpractice in East Kameng district, centred on the Lada-Sarli stretch, which led to multiple arrests and administrative suspensions, including of a former deputy commissioner. Officials stopped short of directly linking the reshuffle to the probe, but sources indicated that concerns about transparency and project management informed the decision to entrust the work to BRO and NHIDCL. The change is likely to reduce the PWDs' on-ground role and alter local coordination dynamics.

Earlier this year the ministry issued bid acceptance letters to several firms, yet construction has not begun and the project retains a targeted completion date of 2027, which may be affected by the recent reshuffle. Revised national highway norms that allow extended timelines for complex projects could provide some leeway for meeting objectives. Observers said the involvement of BRO and NHIDCL could improve coordination and monitoring in difficult terrain, but caution that state experience and local administrative knowledge will remain important for effective implementation.