Trans-Arunachal Drive 2021 Kicks Off

Covering 2,500km through the spine of the state along the Trans-Arunachal Highway&mdasha mega project completed in 2020&mdashthe Trans-Arunachal Drive 2021 was kicked off on Wednesday by Chief Minister Pema Khandu. The drive, intended to spread awareness about the multifaceted state and promote tourism, will span close to two weeks and is managed by Motorsports Club of Arunachal Pradesh.

The road trip, which commenced from the state&rsquos east, in Namsai district, will snake through the state&rsquos belly and conclude in Tawang, the westernmost district.

Flagging off the drive, Khandu, who is known to have ridden 122km from Yingkiong to Pasighat to promote tourism in the state in 2019, said, &ldquoWe&rsquore glad to commence the Trans-Arunachal Drive, an initiative to bring the tourism industry back on its feet after the unprecedented 2020 and invite tourists to a Covid-free Arunachal Pradesh."

Travellers from all over the country have joined the drive, and congratulating the state's tourism department for the initiative, Khandu added, "We hope to provide a memorable experience to the members as they discover the boundless cultural steams in a giant patch of unexplored green on the country's map. The entire state is a perfect ground for adventure sports and has emerged as the favourite driving destination of the Northeast region of India."

The drive was flagged off in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Tourism Minister Nakap Nalo, Miss Japan Priyanka Yoshikawa, and representatives of stakeholder industry giants, and other officials. The participants include journalists, influencers, and tour operators.

Read A River Rushes Through It

Right from its inception to recent launch, the Trans-Arunachal Highway, unofficially NH 13, which coils around the state's dawn-lit mountains, forested havens, and unexplored villages such as Dong and Geku, has been billed as a destination extraordinaire within the country's northeast. As a highway, it is way ahead of most of the country's roadways including the Chennai-Pondicherry and Manali-Leh routes, with such good road conditions that some even back it to stand in as a temporary runway for the Air Force.