Itanagar, Feb 2: The strategically important Sela Tunnel project, designed to ensure all-weather connectivity to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, is set to undergo a third- party safety audit before its official inauguration.
The tunnel will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi once the audit, expected to be concluded by mid-February, is completed.
The tunnel, located near Sela Pass, was necessitated as the Balipara-Charidwar-Tawang Road remains closed for an extended period due to snowfall and landslides caused by heavy rainfall.
The project will enable all-weather access to western Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
This project, with an estimated cost of Rs 697 crore, witnessed multiple delays attributed to various factors including the Covid-19 pandemic.
BRO’s Additional General (East), P K H Singh said that the construction work on the tunnel, situated at an elevation of 13,000 feet, is nearing completion.
Following the Silkyara tunnel incident in Uttarakhand last year, the BRO DG ordered a third-party audit of the Sela tunnel as it is strategically important due to its proximity to the line of actual control (LAC).
Once completed, the all-weather tunnel will allow army vehicles with vital equipment to easily pass through the Sela Pass without any difficulties.
During the winter months — November to February and even mid-March — the Sela Pass remains under thick snow cover. Heavy snow-cutting vehicles and excavators have to be deployed round the clock to keep the road clear of snow.
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