PM Modi inaugurated the strategically important Sela Tunnel, the world’s longest twin-lane tunnel at an altitude of over 13,000 feet, on Saturday. Situated in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, it ensures all-weather connectivity to Tawang and other forward areas near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Built at an estimated cost of ₹825 crore by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Sela Tunnel is an engineering marvel that have two tunnels and over 8 kilometers of approach and link roads. It has a 980-meter single-tube Tunnel 1 and a 1,555-meter twin-tube Tunnel 2 with a bi-lane traffic tube and an emergency escape tube.
Prime Minister Modi spoke on the significance of the project during the inauguration. “This tunnel is not just an infrastructure achievement but also a symbol of our commitment to strengthening the Northeast and enhancing national security,” he said. The foundation stone for the tunnel was laid by PM Modi in February 2019.
“The Sela Tunnel is a milestone in India’s infrastructure development and will enhance connectivity, security, and prosperity in the region,” PM Modi said.
The Sela Tunnel is of strategic importance due to its proximity to the LAC and its ability to facilitate seamless movement of troops, weapons, and machinery. Until now, the Sela Pass was often closed during winters due to heavy snowfall, hindering connectivity to Tawang. The tunnel will reduce travel time from Tezpur to Tawang by over an hour, bypassing the dangerous snow-covered Sela top.
The project also addresses the challenges posed by landslides and snowfall in the region, with its state-of-the-art design accommodating up to 3,000 cars and 2,000 trucks daily at a maximum speed of 80 km/h.
The tunnel is constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), and it took more than 90 lakh man-hours of work withstanding extreme weather conditions, including heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. Materials used were 71,000 metric tonnes of cement, 5,000 metric tonnes of steel, and 800 metric tonnes of explosives.
The safety features in the tunnel include cross passages every 500 meters in the escape tube, which helps rescue operations during emergencies.
The Sela Tunnel is likely to open up socio-economic development for the region as it shall ensure connectivity throughout the year to Tawang, an important tourist destination and one of the disputed areas between Indo-China. The tunnel forms a part of larger initiatives of infrastructural developments in the Northeast. Even PM Modi inaugurated some of the development projects that are worth ₹41,000 crore in Arunachal Pradesh.
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