Arunachal's Sago circle gains from Rs 200 mn road widening

01 Feb 2024

The young MLA of Basar has initiated a significant development project in the villages under Sago Circle of Leparada District in the State of Arunachal Pradesh, India. A Rs 200 million widened quality road is set to be constructed under RIDF Rural Infrastructure Development in the region.

Sago Circle falls under the Basar Assembly constituency and the nearest town is Basar, situated approximately 18 kilometers away. The area is renowned for its agricultural and horticultural products, including Kiwi, Plum, various varieties of apples, and oranges.

Lepa Rada district, with its headquarters at Basar, is one of the 28 districts in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. Lepa Rada is part of the 29-Basar Assembly Constituency and 1-West Parliamentary Constituency. The district's central location inspired its name, Lepa Rada, where "Lepa" signifies the center, similar to a bull's-eye in archery. Basar, Tirbin, Dari, and Sago are the four administrative circles of the district, created by bifurcating its southern areas along the Assam border from the West Siang district.

D Kato, the executive engineer of PWD Basar division, informed India Today NE that the road project is under the RIDF Nabard loan. The government sanctioned a 20 crore amount for the project four months ago, and the work began promptly after the winning firm, D Riba, secured the tender. Kato stated that the road widening work, covering 6 km, has been completed in the last six months. The overall project has a completion time of two years, spanning a total length of 20 km, with the initial work commencing in December 2023.

Kato emphasized the challenges faced during the construction due to the limited working season of four to five months, particularly in the summer when heavy downpours slow down construction work. Sago Circle, where more than 2000 people reside, faced difficulties with a dilapidated PMGSY narrow road before this initiative.

The executive engineer highlighted that the MLA, Gokar Basar, played a crucial role in getting the budget sanctioned for this essential road. In response to the department's request and considering the difficulties faced by villagers, MLA Gokar Basar secured the budget for the road construction, sanctioned in the name of the Construction of work from ICAR to Sago. The road, connecting five villages in the remote Sago Circle, was previously in poor condition, leading to higher transportation costs for essential items. Gokar Basar also established a joint monitoring committee to address obstacles during the road construction, recognizing its significance as a lifeline for the community, as per Kato's statements.