Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has voiced strong concerns regarding significant irregularities in land compensation related to the Frontier Highway project. The Chief Minister has warned of strict action against those found guilty of misappropriating funds. He has also encouraged community organizations to take the lead in combating corruption and electoral malpractices, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in the state's development initiatives.
The focus of the investigation is on the Lada-Sarli stretch of the Frontier Highway, where allegations of a multi-crore compensation scam have surfaced. A fact-finding committee was established on August 13 to investigate the complaints. The committee's interim report, submitted on November 4, revealed that compensation was disbursed for non-existent assets and that several valuations were grossly inflated and fraudulent. The panel also noted "serious omissions and commissions" by the team responsible for ground verification and asset assessment.
In response to the findings, the Arunachal Pradesh government has suspended four officials and sought disciplinary action against the Deputy Commissioner of East Kameng, Himanshu Nigam. The suspended officers include the Seppa Divisional Forest Officer, District Agriculture Officer, District Horticulture Officer, and District Land Revenue and Settlement Officer. The state government has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to suspend Nigam, who headed the compensation verification board.
Landowners had complained about the lack of proper ground surveys, the exclusion of genuine beneficiaries, and inflated compensation for non-existent assets. Some landowners alleged that district authorities bypassed mandatory public notifications and ground surveys, compensating fake beneficiaries while excluding legitimate landowners. Reports also emerged of "ghost houses" – fake structures allegedly built to fraudulently claim government compensation for non-existent properties. In some instances, photographs of houses from other locations were presented as evidence of ownership over barren or forested land. Discrepancies in compensation rates have also been reported, with some landowners receiving significantly less than others for the same square meter of land.
The Frontier Highway is a strategically vital road project aimed at enhancing border connectivity and security in Arunachal Pradesh. The 1,748 km highway, also known as National Highway 913 (NH-913), will connect 12 districts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China border. The project is estimated to cost ₹40,000 crore. The central government has approved ₹28,229 crore for the highway's construction. The project is expected to be completed by March 2027.
The Frontier Highway is intended to improve troop mobility and surveillance, asserting India's sovereignty in the region. The highway will also promote socio-economic development in the remote border areas. Once complete, the highway will complement the Trans-Arunachal Highway and the Arunachal East-West Corridor as major highways spanning the state.
Chief Minister Khandu has lauded the West Kameng administration for completing the land acquisition process for the project in a fair and transparent manner. He expressed hope that other districts will follow West Kameng's example.
