Dibrugarh, Nov. 30: Experts have once again mooted the idea of reopening the historic Stillwell Road ? albeit while sounding a note of caution ? during the inaugural session of the two-day national seminar on ?Reopening of the Stilwell Road ? problems and prospects? here today.
?Smuggling of narcotics and illicit arms into the country from Myanmar, irrespective of the country of origin, has been going on regardless of the presence or absence of the road. ... This must be eliminated,? said former diplomat A.K. Ray, delivering the keynote address at the seminar. It was organised by the department of history, Dibrugarh University, and sponsored by the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Calcutta.
?Action has to be taken by the governments of India and Myanmar with the same objective, determination and political will,? he added.
The 1,726-km Stilwell Road, christened after Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell of the US, runs from Ledo in Tinsukia district of Upper Assam to Kunming in China. The construction of the military highway connecting three countries ? India, Burma (now Myanmar) and China ? started during the Second World War.
Soon after the war, in October 1945, the road was officially abandoned. The government of India declared the 61-km portion of the road from Ledo in Assam to Pangsau Pass as National Highway 153. Work for improving the road is currently in progress.
Inaugurating the seminar, Arunachal Pradesh minister C.C. Singpho said reopening of the road would usher in a new era in the region?s economic scenario and facilitate growth of tourism, movement of security forces and cultural exchanges.
Assam Speaker Prithibi Majhi, too, advocated the reopening of the road in his speech as chief guest.
The session was presided over by Dibrugarh University vice-chancellor Kulendu Pathak and the welcome address was delivered by Dambaru Nath. In all, 13 papers will be presented at the seminar.
Assam forest minister Pradyut Bordoloi today presented his paper on ?Old routes anew: Trade and economic co-operation between Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar under the Kunming Initiative?.