A critical section of National Highway 313, serving as a vital lifeline connecting Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley, faced severe disruption on Wednesday as a landslide washed away a significant portion of the roadway. The landslide incident has effectively halted traffic movement along this crucial route for a minimum of three days, posing significant challenges to transportation in the region.
Images of the affected stretch of the highway, which links Anini in Dibang Valley district to Roing in Lower Dibang Valley, depict the extensive damage inflicted by the landslide, resulting in a large crevice along the road. District officials attribute this catastrophic event to incessant rainfall in the area over the past few days, exacerbating the vulnerability of the terrain to landslides.
Responding to the situation, the Deputy Commissioner of Dibang Valley district issued an advisory on Wednesday night, urging individuals to refrain from traveling on the affected road until restoration efforts are completed and normal rainfall patterns resume. Anticipating a prolonged restoration process, the advisory suggests that it may take up to three days to fully reinstate connectivity along this critical arterial route.
During this period of disruption, connectivity in the region, located in the northeasternmost corner of Arunachal Pradesh and sharing a border with China to the north, is expected to be significantly impaired. The severed link poses logistical challenges for commuters and residents, hindering the flow of goods, services, and essential supplies to and from the region.
Expressing concern over the inconvenience caused to commuters, Chief Minister Pema Khandu conveyed his sentiments via social media platform X, stating, “Disturbed to learn the inconvenience being caused to commuters due to the extensive damage to the highway between Hunli and Anini. Instructions have been issued to restore the connectivity at the earliest as this road connects Dibang Valley to the rest of the country.” The Chief Minister’s directive underscores the urgency of restoring connectivity to ensure the uninterrupted flow of traffic and essential services in the affected region.
The disruption of National Highway 313 not only impacts local commuters but also has broader implications for regional connectivity and socio-economic activities. As a critical link connecting Dibang Valley with the rest of the country, the highway plays a pivotal role in facilitating trade, tourism, and the movement of goods and people. The disruption underscores the vulnerability of infrastructure in hilly and mountainous regions, where natural calamities such as landslides pose recurrent challenges to transportation networks.
Efforts to restore the damaged section of National Highway 313 are expected to involve coordinated initiatives by local authorities, transportation agencies, and disaster management teams. These efforts may include debris clearance, stabilization of the terrain, and reinforcement of the roadway to mitigate future risks of landslides. Additionally, enhanced monitoring and early warning systems may be implemented to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on critical infrastructure in the region.
As restoration efforts proceed, it is imperative for authorities to prioritize the safety and well-being of residents and travelers while expediting the process of reestablishing connectivity along the affected route. The incident serves as a reminder of the need for robust infrastructure resilience measures and proactive disaster preparedness strategies to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on transportation networks in vulnerable regions.
