Tawang to Guwahati via Bhutan, mulls Arunachal

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, May 1

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has underlined the need for building a direct road link from Tawang to neighbouring Bhutan that will provide the shortest road connectivity to Guwahati via the Darranga land custom station in Nalbari district in Assam.

Pul impressed this upon the visiting Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Jaideep Sarkar, who called on the Chief Minister. According to sources, Pul said the road from Tawang to Darranga via Tashigaon in Bhutan would bypass the Sela pass – that often gets blocked due to heavy snow during winter and landslides in summer. The route through Bhutan will reduce travelling time to Guwahati from Tawang by almost six hours.

Reiterating the need to develop close friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and Arunachal, Pul said, “Arunachal and Bhutan shared more than just a border – we also share cultural and religious histories, particularly the communities living in Tawang and West Kameng.”

Ambassador Sarkar, who had called on the Chief Minister, said the embassy in Bhutan was ready to host delegates from Arunachal coming for study tour to learn about hydropower and tourism development in the country.

Responding to the request from Pul for opening border trade, the Ambassador agreed to convey the matter to King of Bhutan for a road link from Tawang to Bhutan.

Also suggesting a way to increase tourist flow in Arunachal, the Ambassador offered to talk to tour operators and the tourism department in the country to change the existing Bhutan-Nepal tour package to Bhutan-Arunachal.

It may be mentioned that the Indian portion of road from Lumla up to the border point at Warongde of Bhutan has already been completed and is motorable. A small stretch of 12 km from Warongde to Khinye in Bhutan remains to be connected, beyond which an all-weather road exists connecting all parts of Bhutan. The distance from Tawang to Guwahati via Samdrupdzongkar is 395 km compared to the normal existing route, which is about 550 km and thus a distance of 155 km will be reduced, when Lumla-Tashigang road is connected.