In a remarkable display of operational efficiency and commitment to humanitarian assistance, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under Project Arunank, restored the strategically important Kimin–Potin Road within just 36 hours after torrential monsoon rains, flash floods and landslides caused extensive damage across Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts.
Relentless rainfall triggered multiple landslides and major formation breaches along the 45-kilometre road stretch, washing away sections of the carriageway and burying large portions under mud, boulders and uprooted trees. The disruption brought vehicular traffic to a complete standstill, severing connectivity to key towns including Potin, Yazali, Yachuli, Joram and Ziro.
The road closure significantly impacted the movement of essential supplies, emergency response teams and civilian traffic, while also affecting 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-related damage, the restoration of the Kimin–Potin Road assumed critical importance for sustaining relief, rescue and medical evacuation efforts.
Responding promptly to a request from the civil administration, BRO’s 756 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) swiftly mobilised nearly 80 personnel supported by heavy earth-moving equipment to undertake the restoration mission. Operating under relentless rainfall, unstable slopes and the constant threat of fresh landslides, BRO teams worked round the clock to clear debris, rebuild damaged embankments and restore the road to traffic-worthy condition.
The route was successfully reopened to vehicular movement at midnight, within 36 hours of the disruption, restoring a vital lifeline for the movement of relief material, emergency services and the local population.
BRO is concurrently executing the upgradation of the Kimin–Potin Road to double-lane specifications, a project that will substantially improve the route’s long-term resilience, carrying capacity and all-weather reliability. Once completed, the upgraded road will further strengthen connectivity in this strategically significant region of Arunachal Pradesh.
The swift restoration once again underscores the Border Roads Organisation’s pivotal role in maintaining critical infrastructure in India’s remote border areas. Beyond its mandate of building strategic roads, BRO continues to serve as a dependable first responder during natural disasters, working in close coordination with civil authorities to ensure connectivity, facilitate relief operations and support local communities in times of crisis.
