ITANAGAR, AUG 20:

The All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU) has urged the Centre to shift the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Regional Office, currently functioning from Tezpur in Assam, back to Itanagar, warning that continued delay could force it to launch a “rigorous but peaceful and democratic movement”.

In separate representations submitted to Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju and BJP national president Nitin Nabin, ANSU said the regional office was meant to cater to Arunachal Pradesh and its continued functioning from another state was creating administrative difficulties and affecting coordination and monitoring of strategically important road projects.

The union has also approached Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao, Rajya Sabha member Tai Tagak and state BJP president Kaling Moyong seeking their intervention.

ANSU president Ashok Doka said Arunachal Pradesh, being a strategically important frontier state, requires accessible and responsive institutions for effective supervision of major road infrastructure projects, including the Frontier Highway.

The union said the MoRTH regional office had earlier functioned from Itanagar before being shifted to Tezpur. It argued that its restoration to the state capital would facilitate better coordination with the state government, district administrations, executing agencies and local stakeholders, besides enabling quicker resolution of field-level issues.

ANSU also said the regional office has reportedly been assigned additional jurisdiction over Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya, but maintained that this should not become a ground for keeping the office outside Arunachal Pradesh. It instead sought adequate manpower, technical officers and infrastructure to enable the office to discharge its responsibilities from Itanagar.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has also backed the demand. In a letter dated August 17 to the MoRTH secretary, the state public works department said the request had merit in view of the state’s administrative requirements and public convenience, and asked the ministry to take an appropriate decision favourable to the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

ANSU claimed that certain road syndicate groups and other vested interests may be attempting to influence the functioning of the regional office for their own benefit. It said such allegations, if established after appropriate verification, would raise concerns over transparency and responsive governance.

The union said it had earlier approached Chief Minister Pema Khandu on July 7 over the issue and appreciated the state government’s subsequent efforts to pursue the matter with the Centre.

It, however, warned that failure to consider the demand within a reasonable timeframe would be viewed seriously and could be treated as “step-motherly treatment” towards Arunachal Pradesh.

ANSU expressed hope that the Centre would take an early decision and restore the MoRTH Regional Office to Itanagar.