The union government’s strategic push to take trains to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh gets a fillip on Thursday. Presenting the budget union finance minister Arun Jaitley announced the government will take up construction of tunnel at Sela Pass.
Finance minister’s announcement will provide impetus to the strategic state from the security point of view.
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The survey for the 378 km long Bhalukpong-Tenga-Tawang launched last year by the railways in collaboration with the defence ministry.
The three proposed lines – Bhalukpong-Tenga-Tawang (378 km), North Lakhimpur-Bame-Aalo-Silapathar (247.85 km) and Pasighat-Tezu-Parsuram Kund-Rupai (227 km) will improve connectivity to northern and eastern frontiers of Arunachal Pradesh.
The survey by Northeast Frontier Railway is expected to be completed by October 2020.
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Tawang, situated at 10,000 feet near the Sino-Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, has been identified by the Centre as one of three destinations under its new railway projects in the frontier state. Government is keen to take trains to Tawang as the town has been identified as one of the strategic routes for construction of railway lines along China, Nepal and Pakistan borders.
Tawang is a town situated at an elevation of approximately 3,048 metres to the east of Bhutan. It is claimed by People’s Republic of China as a part of South Tibet, under Tsona Dzong of Shannan, Tibet.
In April 2017, China announced additional six official names for six places in the South Tibet region, one being inside Tawang.