World’s longest bi-lane road tunnel called “Sela Tunnel” is being built on Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) road by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under Project Vartak.
Key Points
- The Sela tunnel is being constructed at an altitude of 13,800ft near the Indo-China border.
- It is being constructed on 317km long BCT road. The BCT road connects East Kameng, West Kameng, and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh to the rest of India.
- It is being constructed to provide all weather connectivity to Tawang.
- The tunnel would also ensure better movement of troops and weaponry to different locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Sela Tunnel
Sela Tunnel is an under-construction road tunnel, being constructed at 3,000 metres. It is being built to provide all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. It is being excavated below the 4,200 metres Sela Pass on NH 13 section of Trans-Arunachal Highway system. The tunnel will be connected with NH 13 by a new 12.4 km road. It will reduce the distance between Dirang and Tawang by 10 km. Its constructed started in 2019 and is scheduled to be completed in February 2022. This project comprises of two 1,790 m & 475 m long tunnels and an escape tube of 980 m. It will cut down the travel time by an hour.
Where is it being constructed?
Sela Tunnel cuts through Sela–Charbela ridge, separating Tawang district from West Kameng district.