SELA TUNNEL CONNECTING ASSAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH

SELA TUNNEL CONNECTING ASSAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Context:

In a recent development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had virtually conducted the final breakthrough blast of the Sela tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh and flagged off a 20,000 km-long motorcycle expedition of the BRO/

Recent Update of the Tunnel:

• The Sela tunnel in Arunachal has reached its final stages of construction. It avoids snowstorms in the winter at Sela Pass, in addition to cutting the time to go to Tawang by at least an hour.
• The tunnel dug under Sela Pass on the NH-13 of the Trans-Arunachal Highway will be connected by a new 12.4km road that runs a short distance between Dirang and Tawang by at least 10km.

About Sela Tunnel:

• It is an under-construction road tunnel at 3,000 metres that will ensure all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It has a 3-year target completion date of February 2022 after the construction commenced in 2019.
• The tunnel will give access to Tawang by an all-weather road in the western region of Arunachal Pradesh throughout the year.
• The project provides for 2 tunnels of 1,790 m and 475 m lengths and an escape tube of 980 m.