Defense Minister Rajnath Singh attended the final breakthrough blast of the Sela tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. He joined it through the video conference. The tunnel is a strategic approach of the government to strengthen security on the Indian border against China. It will be helpful for the faster movement of Indian troops. The event was organized at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. He has also flagged off India@75 Motorcycle Expedition’ organized by Broader Roads Organization (BRO) in New Delhi.

The foundation stone of the Sela tunnel project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 which will a great source of connectivity to Tawang through the Balipara- Charduar-Tawang Road. The tunnel passes through Sela pass, said to reduce the distance to the China border through Tawang by 10 km. Located on the border between the Twang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the Sela tunnel project comprises two tunnels. Tunnel 1 is 980 meters long and tunnel 2 is 1,555 meters long. Tunnel 2 is a twin-tube tunnel. The project is expected to be completed by June 2022.  

China’s expansionist psyche has put the bilateral relationship between India and China at risk. The relations between both nations have got bitter due to border disputes and the issue of Arunachal Pradesh’s capital Tawang which is claimed by China as its autonomous region under China’s sovereignty. During the 1962 War, PLA gradually overran Sela in the process of China’s invasion of India. Dai Bingguo, who had been China’s boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, earlier stressed that the border dispute between India and China can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing’s claim over Tawang. The Indian official had dismissed China’s claim and said that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh. The proposal of building the Sela pass is an initiation against the concerns over China’s assertion of claiming Tawang. The development of the Sela tunnel is a part of the Union government’s effort to develop connectivity in border areas so that more security measures can be taken.   

The construction of the Sela tunnel is based on the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. It is constructed much below the snow line which allows all-weather travel without the challenges of snow clearance. The construction of the Sela tunnel will hugely benefit the people of Tawang as the travel time will be much less and the movement of troops will be faster. Defense Minister Singh said that the Sela tunnel will be the world’s largest bi-lane tunnel at a height of more than 13,000 feet. He said, ‘This tunnel, which has been made with state-of-the-art features, will prove to be the lifeline for not just Tawang, but the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh.’ It will improve transportation facilities for local people and boost their socio-economic conditions. The project will cost around 687 crores and is being constructed by the Border Roads Organizations (BRO). The DG BRO Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary told the news agency that the tunnel will strengthen security as well as connect far-flung areas, it will be easier for people to commute and will also increase tourism and improve the economy.