Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh has been facing the wrath of nature for the last few days after the deadly cloud blast in Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts. 3 persons have lost lives in devastating floods after the cloud blast on June 25 and a few people are still missing. Many families were displaced due to the sudden heavy flood. NDRF, Army, Air Force are helping the district administration in relief and rescue operations.
Demonstrating its unwavering commitment to nation-building and humanitarian assistance, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under Project Arunank, restored the vital Kimin–Potin road within an impressive 36 hours after torrential monsoon rains, flash floods and landslides caused widespread devastation in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts.
The incessant rainfall triggered multiple landslides and major formation breaches along the 45-km road stretch, washing away sections of the roadway and burying several areas under mud, boulders and uprooted trees. The disruption completely halted vehicular movement and severed connectivity to important locations including Potin, Yazali, Yachuli, Joram and Ziro.
The road closure severely impacted the movement of essential commodities, emergency response teams and access to critical healthcare facilities, including the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), Naharlagun. With National Highway-13 also rendered inaccessible due to flood damage, restoration of the Kimin–Potin road became crucial for sustaining relief and rescue operations.
Responding swiftly to a request from the civil administration, BRO’s 756 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) mobilised nearly 80 personnel along with heavy earth-moving machinery to undertake the restoration work. Despite relentless rainfall, unstable slopes and recurring landslides, BRO teams worked round the clock under extremely challenging conditions to clear debris, reconstruct damaged embankments and restore the road.
The road was successfully reopened for vehicular traffic at midnight, within just 36 hours, re-establishing connectivity and enabling the uninterrupted movement of relief material, emergency services and the general public.
BRO is also undertaking the upgradation of the Kimin–Potin road to double-lane specifications, which will significantly enhance the route’s long-term reliability, resilience and capacity, further strengthening connectivity in this strategically important region.
The swift restoration once again highlights BRO’s dedication to ensuring connectivity in remote and challenging terrain while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with civil authorities during natural disasters and emergencies.
