Itanagar: The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has completed 90% of the construction work on the strategically important Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, officials said.
The tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to the Tawang district and boost infrastructure and tourism in the region.
The tunnel, which is being built at an altitude of over 13,000 feet, will be the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel at that altitude. It comprises two tunnels – Tunnel 1, which is a 980-meter-long single-tube tunnel, and Tunnel 2, which is a 1,555-meter-long twin-tube tunnel.
“Almost 90% of the construction works of the strategically important Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh have been completed and hopefully, it will be completed by this year,” said a BRO official.
The Sela Tunnel is 400 meters below the Sela Pass, which is often closed due to heavy snowfall in the winter months. Once the tunnel is completed, people will be able to travel to and from Tawang even in the winter.
The foundation stone of the Sela Tunnel was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2019 and construction commenced in April, 2019.