Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday virtually inaugurated the strategically crucial Sela tunnel, the world’s longest twin-lane passageway, near China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at an elevation of 13,000 feet, reaffirming the government’s commitment towards strengthening infrastructure in border regions of Arunachal Pradesh. The tunnel has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on the road connecting Tezpur, Assam, to Tawang in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Built at a total cost of Rs 825 crore, the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela Pass on the Balipara- Chariduar -Tawang Road, boosting the preparedness of the armed forces and augmenting the socio-economic development of the border region, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The route to Tawang and the disputed areas, claimed by China and the site of a 2022 clash between the two nations’ troops, traverses through Sela. The tunnel aims to streamline the transportation of troops, supplies, and weapons, cutting the distance between Tawang and Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district by 12 kilometres and reducing travel time by 90 minutes.
In his address, the Prime Minister vowed the government’s unwavering commitment to the Northeast region’s development as the area’s work on many tunnels is underway.
The Sela Tunnel has been constructed using the new Austrian tunnelling method and incorporates safety features of the highest standards. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the tunnel on 9 February and construction commenced on 1st April 2019. The tunnel was completed in just five years, overcoming challenges of difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions by the Border Road Organisation (BRO), the Ministry claimed in its statement. In the last three years, the BRO has completed a record 330 infrastructure projects constructed at the cost of Rs 8,737 crore.
Ravi Shankar
