Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and dedicated the Sela Tunnel to the nation on March 9, virtually from Itanagar.
Illustrating the difficulties of weather, and the importance of the tunnel in such situations, the PM could not visit the location as planned and instead inaugurated the tunnel virtually from Itanagar.
Strategic Importance Of Sela Tunnel
The Sela Tunnel is the longest in the world at a height of over 13,500 feet. It makes a critical difference for the military to deploy troops and heavy weaponry to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. It also significantly improves connectivity and economic development in the region. Along with the 500-metre-long Nechiphu Tunnel, the Sela Tunnel provides safe, all-weather strategic connectivity on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang (BCT) Road in West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh. Without it, connectivity to Tawang over the 14,000-foot Sela pass poses a huge logistics challenge for the Army for at least three to four months in winter.
Sela Tunnel: A Game-Changer
The strategic Sela tunnel is a game-changer for the Indian Army’s capabilities in combating the threat of China’s Western Theater Command. It cuts travel time from the Indian Army’s IV Corps headquarters at Tezpur to Tawang by at least ten kilometres and one hour. It also helps make the NH-13 an all-weather road. The tunnels ensure that the 171-kilometre road between Bomdila and Tawang remains accessible for even heavy armoured vehicles and equipment in all weather conditions.
Watch an excerpt from our episode, ‘Crossing The Sela Heights: The Roads To Tawang, Much Light At The End Of Game-changing Tunnels‘.
You can also watch the series, ‘Along The China Front: Commanding The Tawang Heights‘. It was first aired on June 2, 2023
