Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the strategic Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh along the China Front. 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. The Prime Minister inaugurated and dedicated the Sela Tunnel to the nation on March 9, 2024, 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 inauguarated the tunnel virtually from Itanagar.
Strategic Importance of Sela Tunnel
Significantly, the Sela Tunnel is the longest in the world at a height of over 13,500 feet. Specifically, 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
Undoubtedly, 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.
‘Along The China Front: Commanding The Tawang Heights’
In this series first aired in June 2023, StratNews Global’s team of Amitabh P. Revi and Rohit Pandita looks at the spurt in infrastructure. Connectivity development is having a far-reaching effect in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. In recent years, India’s government has made significant investments and plans for road and tunnel construction to improve connectivity and security along the border.
BCT Road
In this episode, we travel along the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang(BCT) road. And then through the Nechiphu and Sela Tunnels and the Sela Pass towards Tawang. We interact with the Border Roads Organisation, the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and Indian Air Force personnel. They help us understand the strategic significance of the region and the efforts to counter Chinese aggression. StratNews Global also pays tribute to Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat at his memorial on the way to Tawang.
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