Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the much-awaited Sela Tunnel on March 9, Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein said on Monday.
The Sela Tunnel, which is constructed by the Border Roads Organization (BRO), will significantly reduce travel time and improve accessibility to Indo-China border areas, especially during harsh winters.
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This project includes two tunnels and 8.780 km of approach road. Once fully constructed, the tunnel, stretching through the Sela-Charbela ridge, will be the world’s longest bilane tunnel at 13,000 feet elevation.
Attending the vibrant Nyokum Yullo celebration at the festival ground in New Pitapool under Yachuli Circle, Mein highlighted notable economic achievements of Arunachal Pradesh. In the past eight years from 2016-17 to 2023-24, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of the state has witnessed a significant rise of 136 per cent along with a surge of 104% in the per capita income.
Mein relayed Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a Developed India by 2047 and reiterated the State Govt commitment to achieving this vision through active participation.
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Mein further elaborated on the remarkable progress made in various sectors, including connectivity and border security. He reiterated the State Govt commitment to bring development in the border region to par with the foothill areas.
The deputy chief minister said various projects such as Frontier Highway, Vibrant Village Program, Border Village Illumination Program, etc are being implemented which will bring rapid development in the border areas.
He also said that a 300-megawatt hydropower project will be developed in the upper stream of the Panyor River and asked the officials of NEEPCO to carry out the preliminary survey at the earliest.
The Nyokum Yullo is the main agricultural-based festival of the Nyishi community showcasing the rich traditions and heritage of the community through various cultural performances and rituals.
Mein commended the Nyishi Community for preserving and promoting their ancestral traditions and age-old cultural practices. He emphasized the importance of embracing modernization while safeguarding the indigenous heritage, urging everyone to cherish and celebrate traditional festivals with enthusiasm.
He also congratulated the people of Yazali and Yachuli Circles on getting a new district, Keyi-Panyor, and said that the new District will bring speedy development in the area and generate employment opportunities.
The festival was also attended by Minister of Education, Cultural & Indigenous Affairs, Taba Tedir, Director of State Council of Education, Research & Training (SCERT), Toko Babu, Chief Engineer (PHE&WS), Toko Jyoti, SP Lower Subansiri, ADC, PRI leaders, Govt Officers, guests from America (NRI) and Mumbai.