Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the strategically located tunnel across the Sela Pass near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh during his visit to the Northeast state on March 9.
However, defence sources said that the prime minister will inaugurate the tunnel virtually from Itanagar as he won’t be able to travel to West Kameng district due to bad weather. Sources said that the trail landing of his aircraft could not take place because of the prevailing weather conditions and hence the last-minute change to the itinerary was done.
The Sela Tunnel, situated at an elevation of 13,000 feet, will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang bordering China. The tunnel is strategically important due to its proximity to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), an official said.
The tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity through the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang Road which tend to remain closed during extreme weather conditions, including snowfall and landslides.
It is a major strategic development for India and the infrastructure will aid faster military deployment and improve capabilities of the Indian army at the LAC.
The project, foundation store of which was laid by PM Modi in 2019, comprises two tunnels. The first is a single-tube tunnel of 980 metres in length, and the second one is 1.5 km long with an escape tube for emergencies.
