Itanagar, March 11 Arunachal Pradesh Rural Works Department (RWD) Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona on Wednesday informed the Assembly that 37 out of 42 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) roads constructed using nanotechnology in the state have failed due to difficult terrain and climatic conditions.
Responding to a short-duration discussion initiated by BJP MLA Laisam Simai in the Assembly, the minister said the roads were taken up under PMGSY-I as a pilot project using the new technology, of which only five projects were found to be successful.
Sona said the technology faced serious challenges in Arunachal Pradesh because of fragile hill terrain, steep slopes, unstable geology, heavy monsoon rainfall, landslides, and erosion-prone conditions. As a result, several roads deteriorated rapidly, suffered extensive damage, or remained incomplete.
He informed the House that the state government has repeatedly taken up the matter with the Centre through various platforms seeking gap funding for restoration of the affected PMGSY roads, but no positive response has been received so far.
The minister further said he has requested Chief Minister Pema Khandu to raise the issue during the next plenary session of the North East Council (NEC) so that a concrete solution can be worked out.
Initiating the discussion, Simai, the legislator from Nampong constituency in Changlang district, said PMGSY has been one of the most important rural connectivity programmes for the state as it links villages with markets, schools, health centres, and district headquarters.
However, he said the use of nanotechnology in PMGSY road construction has not been successful under the local conditions of Arunachal Pradesh and urged the government to provide immediate gap funding for restoration and completion of such projects.
Simai pointed out that in a hill state like Arunachal Pradesh, road durability depends not only on surface technology but also on proper drainage, slope protection, retaining structures, breast walls, culverts, and timely maintenance.
"Where these are absent or underfunded, the roads cannot survive," he said.
The lawmaker also noted that earlier apprehensions had been raised about the feasibility and sustainability of nanotechnology in the state due to the long rainy season, damp structures, difficult topography, hilly terrain, and short working season, adding that conventional construction methods were considered better suited to local conditions.
The MLA further said that the introduction of the technology reduced the use of locally available materials such as Random Boulder Masonry (RBM), Water Bound Macadam-II (WBM-II), and Water Bound Macadam-III (WBM-III), which are otherwise available in districts like Longding and other parts of the state.
This, he said, weakened local economic participation and deprived local youth of engagement in road construction works.
"The problem before us today is not merely technical. It is developmental and humanitarian," Simai said, adding that when PMGSY roads fail, entire habitations suffer as villagers face difficulties accessing hospitals, schools, markets, and other essential services, while developmental gains are reversed and public funds already spent are put at risk.
He urged the government to undertake an immediate review of all failed and badly affected PMGSY roads constructed under nanotechnology, identify infrastructure gaps, and adopt hill-specific and climate-suitable engineering practices along with stronger monitoring and adequate maintenance provisions for future projects.