The Public Rights Action Committee (PRAC) organised a protest rally over the poor condition of the Papu Hill-Nirjuli road (Package B), demanding the immediate repair and completion of the pending Package B stretch of the four-lane highway. The committee urged Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who also holds the PWD portfolio, to intervene and provide a written assurance alongside a clear completion timeline for Package B. Additionally, the committee demanded regular maintenance of NH-415, the prevention of unnecessary highway obstructions, mandatory footpaths for pedestrians, and dedicated parking spaces for commercial establishments.

Although the PWD assured PRAC that repair and maintenance work would continue until fresh approval for Package B was granted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the original contractor, M/s Woodhill-Shivam (JV), had its agreement terminated after failing to complete the work within the stipulated timeframe. A short-term maintenance contract was subsequently awarded to M/s Aakshaya Infra Project Pvt Ltd, and work commenced on 8 August. Furthermore, a revised cost estimate of Rs. 303.64 crore was submitted to MoRTH in August and is currently awaiting approval.

The four-laning project of NH-415 Package B, which covers 11.305 km on the Itanagar-Banderdewa stretch, has been in disrepair for years, with the government doing little to improve the condition. If the government cannot even construct a road, forcing people to protest due to its utterly deplorable state, what exactly is the department doing?