Arunachal Pradesh Road Closure Latest Update: Nearly a week after the devastating cloudburst in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district, the Hoj-Potin stretch of National Highway 13 remains completely blocked, cutting off seven districts from the rest of the state. Continuous rain, fresh landslides and severe road damage have slowed restoration work, with officials warning that the highway will take more than a week to reopen. Authorities are urging people to avoid unnecessary travel as repair work continues.
It has been almost a week since the deadly cloudburst hit Poosa in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district, but the damage is still affecting road connectivity across the state. The Hoj-Potin stretch of National Highway-13, one of the state’s most important highways, is still completely closed. As a result, according to a report by India Today,seven districts remain cut off from the rest of Arunachal Pradesh. The cloudburst on June 24 caused massive landslides, flash floods and road damage. It destroyed 18 residential quarters of the NEEPCO colony, killed three people and left two others missing. Since then, continuous heavy rainfall has made repair work even more difficult.
Which Seven Districts Have Been Cut Off Due To The Highway Closure?
Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Lobsang Tsering visited the damaged Hoj-Potin road on Sunday to inspect the restoration work. Speaking to the publication, he said the highway had suffered serious damage at several places and would take more than a week to reopen. “The damage is severe at many locations after the June 24 cloudburst in Keyi Panyor district. Restoration will take more than a week,” he said. The Deputy Commissioner also said that no permission for earth cutting work has been given in Papum Pare district during his tenure.
He added that the Sagalee Parang road, which connects to Potin, is currently the only road that vehicles can use. Officials have instructed the Additional Deputy Commissioner at Sagalee to deploy workers and machines to help people travelling to Keyi Panyor and other affected areas. The Hoj-Potin Road (NH-13/NH-713A) has become impossible to use after huge mudslides and flash floods blocked important locations, including Kala Mathi (Black Mud Point) and the Pare River Hoj Box Cutting.
Authorities have advised people to avoid non-essential travel because the area remains unstable and fresh landslides could happen at any time. The highway is the main road connecting districts such as Keyi Panyor, Lower Subansiri, Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, Kamle, Upper Subansiri and nearby regions. Because of the closure, the movement of people, essential goods and supplies has been badly affected.
The Public Works Department (PWD) Highway Division has deployed several excavators and heavy machines to clear the debris. However, continuous rain is triggering fresh landslides, slowing down the repair work. PWD Highway Junior Engineer Nagesh Kumar Singh said restoration teams are also facing a shortage of fuel for heavy machinery. He added that some parts of the road have collapsed into deep vertical gorges measuring 40 to 50 metres, making repairs extremely difficult. According to him, complete restoration of the highway could take at least another month.
Also Read:Â Arunachal Flash Flood Latest Update: NDRF Intensifies Search Operation; Two Bodies Recovered
