Sela Tunnel:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the eagerly anticipated Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday. This vital infrastructure project ensures year-round connectivity to the strategically significant Tawang, facilitating swift logistical movements for troops in the region. Additionally, it brings about a reduction in travel distance by over eight kilometers and cuts down travel time by an hour. The tunnel, constructed for Rs 825 crore, is situated at an altitude exceeding 13,000 feet on the road connecting Tezpur to Tawang in the West Kameng district.
In 2019, officials laid the foundation stone for the project, which includes two tunnels – one measuring 1,003 meters and the other 1,595 meters long – along with 8.6 kilometers of approach and link roads. Adhering to international norms, the second tunnel includes an escape tube alongside the main tunnel, running parallel with cross passages every 500 meters. In case of an emergency, the escape tube facilitates the movement of rescue vehicles and the evacuation of stranded individuals.
Officials have designed the tunnel to accommodate a traffic density of 3,000 cars and 2,000 trucks per day, with a maximum operating speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
Unveiling Economic Transformation:
The inauguration of the Sela Tunnel marks the dawn of a new era of economic prosperity in the Tawang region, fostering growth in trade, tourism, employment, and overall development. Previously, the route to Sela Pass faced challenges with single-lane connectivity and perilous bends, restricting heavy vehicles, container trucks, and those with trailers from reaching Tawang. Additionally, adverse weather conditions, especially in winter, hindered patient evacuation along the existing Sela Pass. The opening of the tunnel now makes all these endeavors feasible, as highlighted by a senior Border Roads Organisation (BRO) official.
This project stands among the most crucial and significant endeavors of the BRO in the country. The execution of this mega project required over 90 lakh man-hours, with an average of around 650 personnel and laborers working daily for the past five years. The construction involved the use of approximately 71,000 metric tonnes of cement, 5,000 metric tonnes of steel, and 800 metric tonnes of explosives.
Sela Tunnel: Overcoming Challenges, Ready for Dedication
Project Vartak encountered several challenges in constructing the Sela Tunnel, including the hindrance caused by freezing temperatures reaching as low as -10°C. The formation of icicles inside the tunnel significantly delayed the concreting process, impacting the overall completion timeline, as mentioned by the officer.
Moreover, the construction faced issues such as water ingress and cavity formation, along with disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all contributing to setbacks in the project’s progress.
Despite facing these challenges, the tunnel is now ready for dedication.
The Indian Army maintains a substantial presence in the Tawang district due to its strategic proximity to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, resulting in frequent troop movements in the region. The area experiences significant snowfall, particularly in the early months of the year, rendering the Sela road inaccessible at times. The newly constructed tunnel effectively addresses this issue.
Equipped with a state-of-the-art electro-mechanical system, the tunnel features advanced elements such as jet fan ventilation for air quality maintenance, firefighting devices, illumination systems compliant with CIE norms, and SCADA-controlled monitoring systems.
