GUWAHATI: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has restored the crucial Kimin–Potin road in Arunachal Pradesh within 36 hours after torrential monsoon rains, flash floods and landslides caused extensive damage and disrupted connectivity across parts of the state.
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According to an official release, the restoration was carried out under Project Arunank following widespread destruction in the Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts, where incessant rainfall triggered multiple landslides and major breaches along the 45-km road stretch.
The heavy rains washed away sections of the roadway and buried several stretches under mud, boulders and uprooted trees, completely halting vehicular movement. The disruption severed road connectivity to Potin, Yazali, Yachuli, Joram and Ziro, affecting the movement of essential supplies, emergency response teams and the general public.
The road closure also hampered access to the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in Naharlagun. With National Highway-13 also rendered inaccessible due to flood damage, restoring the Kimin–Potin road was critical for sustaining relief and rescue operations.
Responding to a request from the civil administration, BRO's 756 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) deployed nearly 80 personnel along with heavy earth-moving machinery to restore the route. The road was restored for vehicular traffic at midnight, after 36 hours of restoration work.
BRO said it is also upgrading the Kimin–Potin road to double-lane specifications, a project expected to improve the route's long-term reliability, resilience and carrying capacity in the strategically important region.