Sela Tunnel Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a day-long visit to Arunachal Pradesh this Saturday, during which he will officially inaugurate the Sela Tunnel, recognized as the world’s longest twin-lane tunnel.
The inauguration ceremony will be part of the Viksit Bharat Viksit North East program, commencing at approximately 10:30 a.m. in Itanagar. Alongside opening the Sela Tunnel, PM Modi will unveil various statewide development initiatives, including the Rs 10,000 crore UNNATI program.
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Constructed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) at a cost of Rs 825 crore, the Sela Tunnel is situated at an elevation of 13,000 feet and comprises two tunnels. Tunnel 2, a 1595-meter twin-tube tunnel, is accompanied by Tunnel 1, which is 1003 meters in length.
Additionally, the project includes two 8.6-kilometer roads. The tunnel is designed to handle 2000 trucks and 3000 cars per day, with a maximum speed limit of 80 kmph.
The strategic significance of the Sela Tunnel lies in its ability to connect Tawang, a region bordering China, to the rest of the world regardless of weather conditions.
Furthermore, it is expected to reduce travel time for Tawang by at least an hour, facilitating quicker deployment of troops, equipment, and weapons to areas near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The tunnel, located near Sela Pass, addresses the issue of road closures due to snowfall and landslides caused by intense rainfall on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang road.
The Sela Tunnel project, initiated with the laying of its foundation stone by PM Modi in February 2019, faced delays, partly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges, its completion underscores India’s focus on border infrastructure, aimed at narrowing the gap with China.
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Notably, only tunnels exceeding 1500 meters align with this infrastructure push. Over the past three years, the BRO has executed 330 infrastructure enhancements costing Rs 8,737 crore, significantly enhancing the strategic mobility of the Indian armed forces along the disputed border with China.