12-day Trans Arunachal Drive 2022 to begin from May 1 in Arunachal Pradesh  

NEW DELHI: India’s Land of Rising Sun – Arunachal Pradesh is all set to host its second ‘Trans Arunachal Drive 2022’ from  May 1 to showcase the wonders of this world’s biodiversity site and to shine a light on the north-eastern state’s transition to modernity.

The campaign that aims largely at promoting tourism and develop tourist circuits in the state is organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh as part of its “Dekho Apna Desh, Dekho Apna Pradesh” programme.

The 2000-km road trail will be flagged off from Roing, home of the lush green valleys, snow-capped peaks and the last major township at the north-eastern frontier of India; go through Anini, pegged as the most unexplored part of the state; Bomjir, the oldest village in the Lower Dibang Valley district; Mechuka, a land that’s blessed with medicinal snow-fed water-river and streams; Pasighat, a historic town founded by the British Raj back in 1911; Pakke-Kessang, home to the Pakke Tiger Reserve; Dirang, a quaint town known for its hot springs, apple and kiwi orchards, and culminates at Tawang on May 13, a place that reverberates with chants from the monasteries; after touching Zemithang, the remotest north western corner of Arunachal Pradesh.

Each day during this once-in-a-lifetime adventure, visitors will experience Arunachal’s stupendous geographical diversity, its distinctive cultural heritage and its impressive infrastructural developments.

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh hopes that the Trans Arunachal Drive will enable the shy mostly mountainous state to emerge from the shadows and help in strengthening its cultural and economic bonds with the rest of the country.

Surrounded by Bhutan, Myanmar and China, Arunachal Pradesh, which means “Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains”, is home to 26 tribes and 100s of sub-tribes, each with its own distinctive language, dress, and customs.

With its dense evergreen forests, mountains, rivers and streams, varied species of flora and fauna, including the red panda, several hundred unique species of birds, and orchids, Arunachal offers yet undiscovered spots for angling, bird spotting, rafting and trekking. Its five river valleys – Kameng, the Lohit, the Subansiri, the Siang, and the Tirap – all fed by the snow from the Himalayas, contribute to its unique geographical diversity.

This largely agricultural economy holds enormous potential for hydro-electric power, and will soon have the country’s largest hydro power project.

The first Trans Arunachal Drive in 2021 traversed 2500 km from Namsai in the East to Tawang in the West.  It was covered by more than 72 media personnel who drove through the state in specially built Mahindra Adventure vehicles.

The event led to a spurt in road trips along the Trans Arunachal Highway, most notably by members of the Super Car Club that saw the likes of Mclarens, Ferraris and Lamborghinis being driven through the state.