In an event blending technological triumph with a dash of digital dazzle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from the virtual realm, inaugurated the much-anticipated Sela Tunnel on March 9, 2024, marking a new chapter in connectivity and defense for the northeastern frontier. Nestled at an impressive 13,000 feet in the rugged terrains of Arunachal Pradesh, this engineering marvel is not just a tunnel, but a towering testament to India’s resolve to ensure seamless access and augmented security across its borderlands.
Crafted by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) with a hefty tag of Rs 825 crore, the Sela Tunnel stands as a lifeline, bridging Tezpur, Assam, with the strategically significant town of Tawang. By piercing through the daunting Sela Pass on the Balipara – Chariduar – Tawang Road, this route is set to defy the whims of weather, offering an unyielding pathway to prosperity and protection.
The Prime Minister, in his virtual address, exuded the Government’s dedication to the northeastern narrative, emphasizing that the Sela Tunnel is more than a passage—it’s a promise of progress and ease for the residents of Tawang and beyond. Modi’s message resonated with resolve, casting a spotlight on ongoing and upcoming infrastructural endeavors that aim to fortify the frontiers and facilitate the flow of goods and goodwill.
With a nod to neglected narratives of the past, Modi critiqued the erstwhile oversight of border development but was quick to underline his administration’s action-oriented approach, dismissing any dalliance with electoral expediency. A pledge to the defense community was made, promising a personal pilgrimage to this pinnacle of perseverance in his subsequent term.
The ceremony saw the presence of Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju, who bore witness to this watershed moment in the nation’s infrastructural saga.
Constructed utilizing the cutting-edge New Austrian Tunnelling Method, the Sela Tunnel not only promises a swifter sojourn through the serpentine sierras but also stands as a strategic sentinel, ensuring the security and socio-economic surge of the surrounding sovereignties. With its foundation stone laid with optimism on February 09, 2019, and overcoming the ordeals of orography and climate, this project has been propelled to completion in a commendable span of five years.
As the BRO continues to carve corridors of connectivity and custodianship across the country’s contours, completing a commendable count of 330 infrastructural marvels in just three years, the Sela Tunnel emerges not merely as a conduit but as a cornerstone of India’s commitment to its corners and communities.
