The Likabali-Durpai road project in Lower Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh has become the bone of contention between the state and Assam. The latter claims parts of the road falls in the state’s Dhemaji district and has, therefore, opposed it. Dhemaji shares a 150-kilometre-long boundary with Lower Siang.
The project is being carried out under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The 65-kilometre road will connect Likabali town with Durpai village and will pass through Hime village along the Assam-Arunachal border. The road has been under construction since 2019 and was slated for completion by 2021 but got delayed due to the land dispute.
Tension between the two states over the project escalated when ‘alleged unidentified miscreants’ from Assam set fire to a culvert under construction on 26 January 2022 at Gogamukh in Dhemaji. According to a news report, a labour camp was also destroyed and a motorbike belonging to a labourer was set on fire. The arson in broad daylight angered the local residents, who reportedly rushed to the spot with guns to chase away the miscreants.
Following the incident, officials from both the districts visited the area of conflict on 27 January and stated that they had the situation under control and that the Assam and Arunachal governments were in talks to resolve the issue amicably. On 24 January, the chief ministers of the two states had a meeting where they decided to conduct a ground-level survey on the status of the inter-state boundary to come up with a ‘permanent solution’ to the border dispute.
Tobom Dai, general secretary of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), told LCW that a team of the students' body had visited the area and found that the road was within the jurisdiction of Arunachal Pradesh. He added that the construction of the road would benefit both the states and hence developmental work, even if in a disputed area, should not be stopped. According to him, the two states have held several rounds of dialogues to find an amicable solution to the long-standing border dispute.
The Gogamukh incident is not the first instance of skirmish between the two neighbouring states. The border area has witnessed frequent flare-ups, with clashes first reported in 1992. In August 2021, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the State Assembly that there were 1,200 areas of dispute along the border with Arunachal Pradesh.
On 4 November 2022**, **Likabali MLA Kardo Nyigyor informed that the dispute between the Assam and the Arunachal Pradesh governments over the construction of a highway at the entry point of Likabali town in Lower Siang district has been resolved.
He further mentioned that the road falling under Assam will be constructed by the Assam government, and funds have been allocated for it. The construction of another part of the road falling under Arunachal will be taken care of by the Arunachal government. Additionally, road construction under the PMGSY to connect various villages is in progress, and proposals for bridge construction in different locations have been submitted to the state and central governments.
In January 2023, Assam's survey of its borders added another layer of complexity, drawing criticism from Arunachal Pradesh officials who deemed it provocative. In April 2023, both the governments signed a boundary agreement in the national capital in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah ending 51-year border disputes along the boundaries of both northeast states.
In August 2023, reports confirmed that construction had resumed with heightened security, indicating Arunachal Pradesh's commitment to completing the project.
In March 2024, the residents and organizations protested the alleged mismanagement of PMGSY fund at the deputy commissioner's office. They claimed that the Likabali BRO road to Durpai village was mismanaged and requested a CM-level or state government inquiry. The protestors highlighted issues with the execution of the road project and lack of proper monitoring.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for legal recognition of land rights
Complaint against procedural violations
Refusal to give up land for the project
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for CM level enquiry / probe against irregularities in the road project
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project stalled due to protests
Original Project Deadline
2021
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Yes
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Government or community-regulated urban commons, Religious/Sacred/Cultural value, Other Natural Resource extraction/dependence
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Yes
Source/Reference
<https://www.eastnews.in/latest-north-east-news/assam-police-stops-road-construction-in-arunachal-territory/> [Project stalled due to a border conflict between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh]
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
155
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
2024
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Land record discrepancies
Constitutional inconsistencies between state and Union land laws
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
No
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Other harassment
Torching of houses
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Alleged unidentified 'miscreants’ from Assam set fire to a culvert under construction on January 26, 2022, at Gogamukh in Dhemaji. A labour camp was also reportedly destroyed and a motorbike belonging to a labourer was set on fire.
Date of Violation
January 25, 2022
Location of Violation
Hime village
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Dhemaji District Administration, Assam; and District Administration of Lower Siang, Arunachal Pradesh
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Border Roads Organization (BRO)
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Emilo is pursuing her PhD in Political Science at the North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong. Her primary research areas include human and land rights and gender issues.
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