Once operational, the tunnel will provide year-round access to Tawang and other forward areas that border China.
PM Narendra Modi is set to dedicate the Sela Tunnel project to the Nation tomorrow, March 9. The Tunnel constructed on the Road connecting Tezpur to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh has been constructed at an altitude of 13000 feet with a total cost of Rs 825 Crore and will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang Region of Arunachal Pradesh. It is considered to be game changer for the local population apart from the much required strategic edge for our security forces. The project at an altitude above 13,000 feet near Sela Pass became necessary since the Balipara – Charduar – Tawang road remains closed due to snow for an extended period of the year. It aims to enhance the Indian military’s capabilities at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The tunnel, constructed under the ambitious ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, holds the promise of facilitating year-round connectivity to Tawang, a key town near the India-China border, and reducing travel time for residents and armed forces personnel.
Sela Tunnel: Key Points
- It is located in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
- Once completed, the Sela tunnel will be the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel at an altitude above 13,000 feet.
- It will ensure all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
- It is being excavated below the Sela Pass on the NH-13 component of the Trans-Arunachal Highway system.
- It comprises two tunnels – Tunnel 1, which is a 980-meter-long single-tube tunnel, and Tunnel 2, which is more than 1.5-km-long twin-tube tunnel.
- Commuters would be able to avoid the dangerous snow covered Sela top at a height of 13,700 feet.
- It is being built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Project Vartak and the tunnel’s construction commenced on April 1, 2019.
- The project’s foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2019 with an estimated cost of Rs. 697 crore. Construction work started in April 2019 with the first blast taking place at Tunnel 2’s Portal 4 on October 31 2019.
Once operational, the tunnel will provide year-round access to Tawang and other forward areas that border China. This enhanced connectivity is expected to significantly bolster the strategic and operational capabilities of the Indian Army in the region.
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